Run
by bxexlxlxa
Summary: Annabeth Chase has been a runaway for the last six months. With her psychopath ex-boyfriend tracking her down, she has to leave the comfort of New York City for somewhere safer. In her new town, she meets a certain Percy Jackson, who is determined to learn about her past. Will she let him get involved? Or will she ignore his help? :: Rating is T/M.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter One**

Annabeth skidded to a halt. Out of breath, she bent over and set her hands on her knees. Her shaky legs had trouble supporting her weight, but this was far from over. She couldn't stop now. She straightened her posture, and willed her fear to suppress.

She began running at top speeds once again, trying to outrun her pursuer. The frosty December night was quickly becoming a curse. The tips of her ears stung, and her arms were so cold, they felt warm.

She hadn't had enough time to grab a proper jacket, and was forced to scurry around Brooklyn in her old track-and-field T-shirt and leggings. Her blonde curls had long escaped her ponytail, and were bouncing freely in the wind.

Rounding a corner, she chanced a look behind her. There wasn't a damned 1993 Honda Accord trailing her. She breathed a sigh of relief.

But that didn't mean she could stop. He would catch up any second. Her muscles screamed for her to slow down, or take a break. Anything.

She continued her trek until she found herself at some lonely train station. Meaty hands were clobbering at her lungs. Her breathing was staggered and her legs were burning. Lucky for her, being on the track team gave her an advantage. But no one was meant to run this fast, at this long of a distance.

Her small frame was wracked in shivers; it's feeble attempt to rise her temperature. She stepped up to the ticket seller and asked for the first ride out of the city.

She hunted in her backpack for the Ziploc bag that held all her savings. She reluctantly pulled out a few bills, and handed them to the ticket seller. The woman working the booth, in return, handed her a small yellow ticket with the words "NY Express" scrawled across it.

Seeing that the train left in ten minutes, she quickly adjusted her backpack, and ran for the gates. Once again, she looked over her shoulder, in search of blonde hair and icy blue eyes staring back at her. She didn't see him anywhere. She relaxed slightly, but was still alert.

She climbed up onto the trains internal stairs, and silently strutted her way to the back. She sat in a window seat, and tried to take control of her situation. This wasn't a new thing. Annabeth has been on the run several times in the passing months. He always managed to catch up with her when she got comfortable.

She'd been running from Octavian for close to six months.

Her safe houses have always been somewhere within Long Island. She hadn't left New York City; it's the only place she's ever known. But, with Octavian relentlessly catching up with her, she knew she had to leave at some point. Heading off the island might be good for her. Maybe this time he won't find her. Or at least he'll take longer.

After they broke up, he went bat-shit crazy. They had been dating for eight months. She knew they were pretty close, and her father would warn her about becoming too attached to someone at such a young age, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She was in love. Or so she thought.

After months of dating, it only seemed fair that she should sleep with him. So she did. She thought that after you make love to someone, you are supposed to feel different. She didn't feel any different. She didn't love him any more than before-or to begin with, for that matter. But, she hadn't realized that yet.

She found herself slightly disappointed that she hadn't had some world-shattering revelation about her love for him, but she didn't think much of it. She didn't think much of sex either. Why did people make such a big deal out of it? What was all the hype? She didn't think it was all that great. Octavian, however, felt very differently.

Once they'd done it, he couldn't get enough. He seemed to enjoy it a lot more than her. So, she gave him what he wanted. _Whatever_, she used to think, _It's no big deal. As long as he's __enjoying himself__._

She was wrong to think that way. Because when she finally realized she didn't love him-and this was probably the reason why nothing felt _right_ with him- things got bad. She went to his house, and told him she wanted out of the relationship. He refused.

Now, Annabeth doesn't like to be forced into anything. Especially a relationship she didn't have interest in. So, she was angry.

She didn't mean to lead him on. She didn't know any better. Maybe that's why people say you should be responsible when in an intimate relationship. She should have assessed her feelings before taking such big steps with him. He was considerably more invested in the relationship than her. The sex meant something to him, at least. Maybe, it made him think he had an own on her.

They got into a big fight. Octavian tried different approaches, to try to make her give him another chance. After many declines, he gave up on giving her an option. He wouldn't let her leave his house.

She thought he was bluffing, but when she tried to walk out the door, he pushed her back into the house. She was beginning to feel frightened. What was she supposed to do? When she tried to call the cops, he pushed his pocket knife swiftly into her leg, and hit her phone across the room. He _stabbed_ her. Now, she was terrified. She eventually used her tactical brain, and created a plan to get out.

But Octavian didn't want her to leave. He wanted her. And, he wasn't going to give up easily.

She couldn't go back to her house. He'd find her there. She only stopped by to pack a bag, and leave a note. The note was short, and very cryptic. It went something along the lines of,

_Sorry, _

_He's crazy. _

_I love you. _

_Please forgive me._

_-Annabeth_

She felt terribly sorry to leave her family like that, but there wasn't a thing she could do. She was right about him coming after her. He followed, and found her every place she'd been so far. Every place had been on Long Island.

She hadn't a damn clue at just _how_ he could find her. He always did, though. Usually it took about a month. Two months in one case. This time was different. She was leaving New York City.

The first stab left a nasty pink scar on her thigh. She had another one on her back, where her ribs are, cut horizontally. It's about two inches long, but it was deep. It was from a time where he caught her again before she was able to escape, and he managed to slice her back.

She got away, but the cut was never properly cared for. So, the scars she has, are pretty scary. The skin is raised, and a fleshy pink color that contrasts against her smooth, pale skin. She used to be tan, with flawless skin, but now she's just a shell of what she used to be. Of _who_ she used to be.

She had a few other cuts and scars on her legs, that made it difficult to wear shorts, but they didn't have any particularly interesting stories to them like the others.

Sitting on the train, she felt the familiar feeling of heartbreaking loneliness. She doesn't have anyone. If Octavian could find her so well, why couldn't her parents? Were they even looking for her?

Probably not. She loved them, but never felt like she belonged in that house. She felt like an intruder in her own home. Her father had himself a perfect family. He had two sons and a beautiful wife. The both of them had nice jobs, and the boys had proper friends, and great positions on the school's soccer team.

But he also had a daughter born out of wed-lock. Annabeth. Her mother left her on her father's doorstep at just a few weeks old. He never wanted her-though he'd never admitted it, she knew it was true. She messed up the "perfect family" image.

So maybe it was good for them that she left.

She shouldn't be thinking about it. It hurts. She shifts in her seat, and looks out the window. The world passes by her window in streaks of green and black. It's still dark out, but if the bus' headlights hit the woods in a certain spot, she can see the snow left over from the last storm.

After a couple minutes of taking in the scenery, her mind involuntarily shifts back to earlier tonight.

_She was sprawled across a seat in her current safe-house. It was basically just an old minivan in the parking lot of some sketchy Hannaford. The van had been abandoned, and she was using it. Lucky for her, she could do her grocery shopping and get back safely in a short amount of time._

_The wind was blowing softly against the car, and lulling her into relaxation. She was reading her favorite book, lying down across the seats. She looked up from her copy of _Walden,_ interrupted by a bright light shining into her windshield in the front of the car. She could hear tires rolling on the dry and cracked asphalt. In her view was a 1993 Honda Accord pulling up to her van._

_Panic took over her. He's back, he found her._

_She quickly scramblec for her backpack, and stuffed it with all the things she could reach. The driver's side handle was being shaken, but it was locked. Not that it would matter soon, anyways. He'd figure something out. He always did._

_She jumped into the trunk from where she was lying in the backseat. Just as she popped open the door to the trunk, the driver's side door was ripped open. A shaggy head of blonde hair peeked in._

_Quickly, she jumped out and started to run in the opposite direction, as silently as she could. She made it pretty far before she heard the frustrated yell of her ex-boyfriend. She realized she left _Walden_ in the back seat. It was obvious that she'd been there. Along with the open trunk she left._

_If she knew him like she thought she did, he'd be on his way right then. So, she picked up her pace, and began running to, God knows where._

She shouldn't have been surprised that he'd found her van. Especially after all the times he had caught her before. But, it's still so surreal to think how well he is at tracking her down. He's just an nineteen-year-old guy for Christ's sake.

She also has to be careful of people finding out about her situation. If someone gets too much information, she has to force herself to leave. The police aren't any help. Even more since Octavian's father is an NYPD cop. If people turn her in, it's only bringing her closer to him.

Thinking about her life, she becomes slightly depressed. This isn't how she wants to be. This isn't a life worth living. It's crossed her mind about ending it before, but she never truly considered it. She didn't want to be weak.

Granted, people that kill themselves surely aren't weak. However, she feels like she would be giving up to Octavian. She doesn't want him to be the reason she lost herself. But, damn she's just tired sometimes. Physically and Mentally. With the running away, the loneliness, the trying to survive on her own, and the utter _desolation_ she feels some days are truly sanity-disrupting.

Sometimes she just feels empty. And she wants to be better, but she's missing something. She needs something, or someone. She just doesn't know what.

The train is safe enough, to where she decides to sleep, so she lets herself surrender to the darkness.

…

Hearing the wheels screech to stop, she wakes up. There are few people on the train, and it's morning. The sky outside is gray and cloudy. She figures she's been on the train for a couple of hours. Looking out the window, she reads the sign at the station.

_Amtrak_.

She swiftly collects her backpack, and makes her way off the train. The air outside is freezing, and she makes a mental note to buy a new jacket.

She moved out of the station unnoticed, and started her exploration of the unknown city. As soon as she's back outside, she notices the downtown area she's in. The houses look old, and Victorian-style. They're of all different colors, and have an air of elegance about them.

Admiring the beautiful architecture of the buildings across the town she was walking through, she came to the conclusion that the place must be pretty old. She saw all kinds of teenagers walking in the downtown area with their friends, going in and out of shoppes, and having a good time, despite the cold temperature.

On a corner of Broadway, she spots three teenage girls walking into a small _Starbucks_. Coffee sounds absolutely fantastic at the moment, and she decides to check it out.

The barrista is a gorgeous girl with warm caramel skin, and sleek black hair that hits just above her waist. Her name-tag reads _Reyna_.

Annabeth steps up to the counter, and looks over the menu. The girl working there observes her with a curious expression. "I've never seen you here before. Do you go to the high school?"

Annabeth wasn't expecting to be questioned, as she answers without thinking, "Uh, yeah, I actually just, ya know, like enrolled?" It sounded more like a question than a statement, and the Reyna girl just laughed.

"You don't sound too sure," she replies chuckling, "Whatever. I'll show you around on Monday, if you want, _ya know_, since you just, _like enrolled?_" she mocks

Annabeth bites her lip, and tries for a small, thankful smile, even if that was the last thing she felt. "Thanks," she pointedly looks at the girl's name-tag, to make it seem like she only just looked, "Reyna."

Reyna smiles, and asks, "I didn't catch your name..?"

Annabeth hesitates. She can't tell Reyna her real name. If people know her name, they'll be able to spread information. And, that can't happen; she's too smart to screw up any worse than she already has. "Anna..." She stumbles around for a last name, and thinks of one quickly. "Anna Henry." Her favorite book was written by a certain Henry David Thoreau, and well, she couldn't resist.

Reyna smirks, "Nice to meet you, Anna Anna Henry."

She gives her a dry look, "Just Anna Henry."

The girls smiles widens, and before she can comment back, Annabeth fixes her mistake. "My name is Anna Henry."

Reyna nods approvingly, "If you say so. I'll see you Monday, at 7:40. Along the door three, Anna Henry. But, for now, What can I get you to drink?"

…

Leaving the Starbucks, Annabeth feels like she could hit herself. How was she supposed to go to school? She doesn't have a home, or a family. She doesn't even know what the school is called.

She needs to find a place to stay, and quick. The sky is still dark, on the cloudy Saturday afternoon. Soon it will be night, and she'll need to find somewhere to sleep.

She searches each street for any signs of an abandoned car, or some kind of shed in someone's yard, that doesn't look like they occupy it too often.

When she was starting to lose hope-and energy- the unexpected hit. She found the perfect place. An abandoned house.

The house was definitely old, and very run down. It was a light blue color, and like many others in this town, was Victorian-style. There really wasn't a front yard on it, the houses were really close. The windows were boarded up, and the front door had a paper stuck on, that read _Eviction Notice_.

She smiles to herself as she realizes what this means. Carefully, she walks up to the front door, and knocks-just in case. There obviously isn't an answer, and she places her hand on the knob gently, and turns.

The knob sticks in place; the door is locked. She looks around for a different mean of entry, but has trouble finding one. The windows that aren't boarded up, are shattered, and probably would cut her if she tried to crawl through.

She glances to the left and notices that she could probably do some kind of parkour-shit and make her way into the small, fenced-off back yard. There might be a back door that is easier to get into.

She stands up on the porch railing, holding onto one of the poles, and stares at the spot she wishes to reach at the end of her jump. Straightening her posture, and then crouching as low as she can without falling, she pushes off of her feet. She manages to land, and roll another three feet away from the fence.

Her shoulders ache from the harsh impact, and her legs are still sore from yesterday's run. She was surprised they had the power to put her over the fence.

She stumbles up, and looks around for a way into the house. Spotting a window on the first floor that isn't shattered or boarded up, she approaches it, studying it closely.

The lock on the window is broken, to her delight. She pushes it upwards, and almost squeals in pure jubilation as the glass slides up.

Throwing her backpack inside, her leg follows over the threshold, and she heaves herself in.

The room is a kitchen, the walls are painted a pale yellow color, and the cabinets are white. The place looks broken down, like it has been out of commission for a while. And it probably has. It seems that the previous owners were evicted.

It's a shame that such a beautiful and historic house was put to waste. The treatment of the house was not kept up after they left.

The room smells musty, and the air is cold. She looks around for a light switch to turn on. Once she finds one, she moves her fingers to flip it, hoping the power in this place still works.

By some miracle of God, the ceiling lights flickered on, and Annabeth's face breaks into a crazy grin. The place was perfect.

She takes a quick tour of the house, and finds that on the bottom floor, there is one bedroom and one bathroom. There's a living room area, with furniture covered in plastic sheets, and the kitchen.

She doesn't know what's upstairs, because the stairs didn't look safe enough to climb up. There were planks of wood out of place, and holes where the misplaced wood should be. She figures when she's feeling idiotic enough one day, she'll try to ascend them, and explore the second story.

The house itself, is pretty livable. There is going to be the problem with the temperature. There isn't any heat in the house, so the December chill, makes the air quite uncomfortable.

She has yet to pick up that jacket, but there are a few blankets around the house. She'll just have to use them until she can afford some kind of space-heater. Or better yet, until it's spring time.

That's a long shot and she knows it. Octavian will most likely find her in a few weeks anyways. She won't be here long enough for spring to come.

For now, she'll spend as much time as she can outside the house. Moving around. Visiting stores, and shoppes with heating. But then, something crosses her mind.

Couldn't she go to school? Surely it'd be warm there. It'd give her a place to go, and something to do. She already told Reyna she'd meet her there on Monday, but honestly, she hadn't planned on going. She was going to blow Reyna off. As harsh as that may sound, Annabeth really shouldn't even play the chance of getting caught at school.

Although, as she thinks about it. It becomes more possible. She has a fake name. She needs some place warm to be. And she's already got someone who is willing to help her out.

She can go to school.

The thought shouldn't make her as happy as it does, but she can't help it. She hasn't been able to live a normal life for what seems like forever. She wants so badly to go back. Go back to before she ever started dating Octavian. Go back to before she started high school. Go back to before her brothers were born, or her father was remarried. Go back to before her mother left her on her father's doorstep. Just to try again for a normal life.

But she can't.

She won't ever be able to travel back in time, and live her life differently.

The only way is forward. She has to start over, and going to school is a great start. She forms a plan. She'll enroll in school tomorrow morning, and she'll meet up with Reyna, as planned, on Monday. She'll stay as long as she can in this town, and after this place-assuming she isn't captured or killed by her ex- she'll start the process over again, in a place even farther.

With those happy thoughts, she decides to turn in for the night. She heads to the only bedroom on the first floor, and shuffles inside. The bed is a queen-sized and is dressed in a thick decorative duvet. She scrambles under the covers, and flicks off the nightstand light. She falls into a dreamless sleep in a matter of minutes.

Ω

**This is my new story! It's called Run. Thank you for reading! I hope I have drawn all of you in, to where you'll want to continue reading. This story will be multi-chapter, and it's AU. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites. And, to everyone who reviewed on my last one-shot, thank you so much for your sweet comments. Some of you said I should try something longer, so this is my attempt. Sorry if it doesn't meet your expectations, but I'll try my best!**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Strolling through the aisles of Walmart, Annabeth almost felt normal...**"**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Two**

Annabeth woke up to the morning light peering down at her from the cracks in the window. One ray hit exactly above her nose, crossing over both of her eyes. She wrinkled her nose in discomfort, and opened her eyes.

At first, she was confused. She didn't know where she was, but as soon as she sat up, memories from yesterday filled her mind. Starbucks, Reyna, the abandoned house, school. She needed to sign herself up for school today.

She moved the thick duvet off of her body, and instantly felt the cold air come in contact with her skin. The tip of her nose was pink and sensitive from sleeping in the low temperature. She was still wearing the T-shirt and leggings from her run. She needed to wash up.

She made her way into the one bathroom on the first floor, and spotted the shower. Praying that it still worked, she turned the knob to the highest degree. Water spurted out of the head uneasily and choppy at first, but soon returned to a steady flow.

A few minutes after turning on the water, she stuck her fingers under the rain to test the temperature. Much to her disappointment, even on the highest setting, the water was only luke-warm.

However, it was better than nothing. Towels were found in a small cupboard above the toilet. She stripped down, and cautiously put herself into the claw-foot tub. The warm water cascaded down her back, drenching her curls and relaxing her sore muscles.

There wasn't any shampoo or conditioner in the shower, she made another mental note to pick some up. One bar of _D__ial_ soap sat on a porcelain shelf against the wall. It would have to suffice until she could buy proper hygienic products.

She lathered the bar of soap onto a small washcloth she found along with the towels in the cupboard. She moved the cloth through her hair and over her body. Soon, she was decently clean.

Wrapped in a towel, she padded her way down the hallway into her current bedroom. She hunted in her army-green, Jansport backpack, in search of a new set of clothes. The only thing she came up with was a simple set of panties, and a thin, white henley.

Sighing, she dressed in the clothes she found, along with her bra and leggings from yesterday. She needed more clothes. Everything she owned from last month was left in that minivan. She doesn't have enough money for a new wardrobe, but she needs some more essentials. Luckily, she found a stick of deodorant in her bag, and was able to apply it to her freshly washed body.

Pulling her journal out of her backpack, along with finding a few pens on top of her dresser, she scrawls out a list of things she needs to pick up:

_Toothbrush_

_Shampoo and Conditioner_

_Underwear and Bras_

_Sweats_

_Bottled Water_

_Crackers and Canned food_

_-Space Heater-_

This was going to be a lot of money out of her pocket. But, she's used to it. She's always saving up, and keeps all of her savings in a gallon-sized, Ziploc bag in her backpack. She had about six hundred dollars added up from over the years. And, she just spent close to forty bucks on the train ride here. She picks up the book that contains her list, and weighs it in her hand.

She's had the same journal since before she was even on the run. It was a dark brown leather book, with a simple tie loosely wrapped around it. Writing in it somehow helped relieve tension. It made her feel less alone. Sometimes she would go back and read about the horrible things she went through at the time, to remind herself of how much she's been through, how tough she is, and how much she'd like to wring Octavian's neck...

She flipped open to a clean page, and wrote the story of what happened at the mini-van. There were entries from when she was living inside, but there wasn't a lot written. She didn't write much of the times when she was comfortable in her safe-houses. Just aimless stories about nice strangers, and the occasional quote, during then.

Looking back at a random page, she opens to find the page of a time when she was living in a motel in Queens. The owners didn't know she was staying there for free, because she was sneaking around. She reads her writing from just a couple of months ago.

"_...I don't know when he'll show up. It's gotta be soon though. If I'm counting right, I've been here for eighteen days..."_

Then there were the logs from after he showed up.

"_...He got me for a few seconds. It was the most terrifying thing in my entire life. He showed up at the motel after twenty days-just knocked on my door. I wasn't going to answer. I didn't know who it was...That would have been stupid. I locked myself in the bathroom, but he broke in. There wasn't a window, or any other means of escape. I was trapped. I put MYSELF in that situation...He grabbed me by the hair, and swung me out of the tub, from where I was hiding behind the curtain. I tried to break free. I kicked and screamed. He'd had enough, and slashed a whole in my back. There was blood everywhere. The pain was unbearable. It felt like a white-hot pole was being scalded into the back of my ribs. My head was spinning, but I managed to elbow him in the groin. He backed down for a few seconds, but that was all the time I needed..."_

Reading about the incident brought tears to her eyes. It was so frightening. She thought he had won, and that she was going to be stuck with him. Of course, she would've tried to fight her way out, but the thought of being in his grasp, sent shivers down her spine.

She started to feel nauseous, and put the book back into her bag. She slipped on her black, high-top converses, and approached the front door. There was some kind of large metal lock on the deadbolt, and she needed to get it off.

Grabbing a spare shard of wood from the steps, she smashed it against the lock repeatedly. After what felt like forever on her achy arms, the metal dropped from the door. She twisted the original lock open, and slowly peeked out, making sure no one was watching. After she determined everything was all clear, she stepped out.

The biting air hit her hard. Not surprisingly, it was colder outside, than inside. She gripped her shirt tighter to her skin, and set foot for the high school.

She had no idea where it was. She figured it would be where the downtown area was, considering that, most of the buildings were over there.

Asking for help couldn't hurt. They would just see a polite seventeen year old girl, asking for directions- not suspicious at all. She steps up to a man walking down the street, heading for what looks like City Hall. It was a large brick building, with beautiful arches and molding.

Annabeth used to work for an architecture firm, as an intern. Her inner architect screamed in excitement, as she studied the historical building. "Excuse me, sir. Would you happen to know how I could get to the high school from here?" she asks politely.

The man turns to her and smiles warmly, "Hello Miss. The high school, you say? Well, if you turn left down Washington street, you'll come onto West Avenue. Head straight down West for a couple of blocks, and you'll end up right at the front entrance."

Annabeth listens carefully, paying attention to every word. She looks to where he gestured earlier, and spots an old street sign that reads, _Washington Street._

After thanking the man sincerely, she treks left down the street. She passes by many old-style houses, and stares at them in awe. The little city she ended up in, is classic. It's got an old beauty with it that she can't help but to admire.

She reaches the high school in a good amount of time, and silently thanks the kind man for the clear directions. There are three different entrances in the front. They're all numbered by big white signs. The first entrance is the biggest, and has three sets of double-doors, side-by-side.

Next to the first entrance is a large clock tower, with a stained glass window of a blue lightning bolt, running down the length. She stares at it curiously, wondering why they chose that as a symbol. From what she could tell, the town wasn't known for any kind of electric work, or anything else fitting.

She raises an eyebrow at it, but doesn't bother about it for too long. Walking through doors one, she immediately spots a sign labeled _Main Office_.

She figures that's probably where she should be headed, and slowly walks into the room. It's large with academic posters covering the walls. Two or three older woman could be seen working behind the desk. The woman closest to the entrance, looks up from her computer towards Annabeth.

"What do you need, honey?" she calls in a sweet voice. The woman is plump, with short blonde hair, that reaches just under her earlobes. She wears a lanyard with the high school's initials on it.

Annabeth clears her throat, and tries to sound professional, "Hello, I was wondering how I could enroll in school here."

The woman looks taken by surprise, "You? Are your parents around, sweetheart? Have you got any of the necessary paper-work? Do you live in the district?"

Annabeth shifted uncomfortably. How could she have been so naive? Of course she couldn't just arrive at school and demand to be let in. What was she supposed to do? She doesn't have parents, anymore. She's on her own. "Uh, well, I guess I don't have the first two. But, I do live in the district. I live on Circular Street." She vaguely recalls the name of the road, the abandoned house resides.

The woman gives her a sympathetic look, "I don't really know what to tell you. I can't just allow a random girl to start school. How can we know that you live here? We need your birth certificate, identification, social security number... _your parents' signature__s_ could be a good start..."

Annabeth's face falls, and she sighs. "Listen..." she starts off, not knowing where she was going with the conversation. At this point, the other woman that were working behind the counter, were leaning in, listening to the crazy teenager that came in, expecting to be let into school without even proving she's an American citizen, let alone living in the district. "I know I can't just barge in here and start attending classes, but..."

She takes a deep breath, and wonders if telling part of the truth might help. "My parents aren't involved with me anymore. I'm on my own. I'm living in that blue house on Circular, that was abandoned. I just want to go to school, and start learning again. And, I kinda need some place warm to go during the days. I-I just need some help."

The woman's hand had traveled from it's place on her mouse, to cover her mouth. She was obviously surprised at her story, and wondering if she could believe her. But, what reason does Annabeth have to lie? Most kids make up excuses to get out of school...Not in it. Annabeth thinks that is the reasoning that caused the woman to relent.

She sighs, and offers Annabeth a resigned smile. "I guess... We could work something out? Right ladies?" she asks her coworkers. The women behind the counter all nodded along, smiling kindly at Annabeth. One woman chuckles, and presses her index finger to her pursed lips, hushing, "Of course we'll help you, dear."

That was surprisingly easier than she thought. The ladies helped her set up a place at the school. They created her schedule, and gave her a spot in the attendance lists. She was soon put into the system as a new student. She would show up in the teacher's class lists Monday morning-Tomorrow.

She even got an I.D. card with the school trademark "blue streak" printed with it (which apparently was the strange blue lightning bolt she saw on the clock tower.) The card identified her as _Anna Henry._ It also specified her as an eleventh grader-which would have been her current level, and a photo of her that was taken in the hallway rather quickly. Her gray eyes looked wide, and her hair was a little mussed, but she thought it was amusing.

After thanking the women with every ounce of feeling in her being, (and them cramming a bag full of chocolate-chip cookies in her pack.) She left the high school, to go shopping. She slung her backpack over her shoulder, gripping it tight, and set off for the closest Walmart.

…

Strolling through the aisles of Walmart, Annabeth almost felt normal.

Living on her own for the last six months taught her a lot about how to spread her money through all her necessities. She bought things that were cheap, honestly. She didn't buy brand-name items. Most of her food had the little _Great Value_ logo on it.

She approached the hygiene aisle, and walked up to the shampoo and conditioner. She selected her usual lemon-scented product that only costs $4.85 each.

Next, she picked up a basic toothbrush, and some minty tooth-paste. She didn't want to spend money on an electric brush. So? Sue her.

The plain white linoleum floors were giving her a headache after only fifteen minutes in the store. There were a lot of people at the store today, which was understandable considering it was Sunday. Everybody gets there shopping done on the week-ends, it seems.

She found a few hoodies hanging up in wracks across from the electronics department. She decided to travel to the men section for her jacket. Because she wanted something big; something she could hide herself in.

She picked up a navy blue hoodie made for men at a size medium. Resting the sweatshirt against her body, she could see that it's sleeves would run past her hands by a couple of inches. The hood, when in use, will cover all of her face. It was perfect for disguising herself, if she was ever in need.

Wandering in the mens' clothes department got her a few strange looks, but no one stared for too long. This was _Walmart_, after all. She was sure they'd seen weirder.

She briefly flew through the canned food items aisle, and picked up random cans of fruits and vegetables. She prayed to all gods that the house had a can-opener, because she couldn't find one in the damn store.

Finally picking up mostly everything she needed, her end cost came to around eighty bucks. She was slightly concerned she had spent too much money on new running pants, but she'd figured they may do her good in the future.

She was scared to buy her underwear at Walmart, so she spent another forty dollars at a small boutique downtown, getting all of her intimate-wear needs.

She refused to spend any more money today. Her nature just wouldn't allow her to not be prepared if anything happened. She didn't want to be broke if she needed to make a run out of the city again.

When she got home, she just about sprinted to her bed, and ungracefully flopped down onto it. She had, had to carry five, full Walmart bags back home. She walked miles with that crap on her arms. And now, she was sore. Yet again. She was relieved she had splurged on a bottle of pain-killers; she might need them.

Kicking off her converses, she spread her toes, and climbed under the covers without putting away her groceries. She honestly didn't care. It was only around nine o'clock at night, but she was spent. Walking absolutely everywhere today, really beat her down. She quickly entertained the thought of buying a used car, only for her to reject it immediately. She hasn't used her license in a while. It had her _real_ information on it.

She was just going to have to suck it up and deal with the exercise. But for now, she wanted rest. She snuggled into the soft pillows, that smelled of baby-powder, and softly slowed her mind's racing thoughts. Soon, she was drifting off.

Ω

**So, here's chapter two, hope you liked it. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I feel like it could have been better. But the words were just not coming to me. We meet Seaweed Brain next chapter, so there's a plus. Questions are welcome. Thanks for reading, you guys. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Everything changed when she left. Her life was some kind of sick action packed program on television..._**"**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Three**

Annabeth was going to go to school today.

_School_.

The thought made warmth flutter through her chest. Going to school was the start of something normal for her. Granted, she might not be here long enough to feel the actual normalcy kick in... But, it still felt good.

She kicked the heavy covers off her feet, as her iPod alarm clock chimed. The high-pitched sound waking her up at half past five in the morning.

She glanced out the window to see the sky still dark. Even in the early-morning she could tell it was going to be a cloudy day. She noticed it was like that here, most days. Not that she minded. She actually preferred the cool gray weather to a glaring and sweaty sun.

She stretched her arms over head, and stumbled out of her bed to take a shower. The cool air stung her skin, as she made her way to the bathroom. She didn't know how she was going to be able to strip down in the house's cold temperature.

Nevertheless, she did take a quick shower, using her newly bought shampoo to wash her hair. The regimen was relaxing. Smelling the familiar lemon scent waft up to her nose, calmed her nerves slightly.

It was understandable that Annabeth was feeling a little nervous. She would have to be the new girl. Of course it would (probably) be worth it, but she had never experienced that kind of thing. Before she left, she'd never switched school districts. She grew up to familiarity.

Ever since she ran away, she learned new things about herself, and her life. One thing being... her past life was boring.

Not to say she didn't prefer her boring old life to now. But, she used to be such a cookie-cutter teenage girl.

Everything in her life used to be planned out. There wasn't an ounce of spontaneity about her. She followed the rules, and kept time coordinated schedules. She made decisions off of what was expected of her, not what she truly wanted.

Everything changed when she left. Her life was some kind of sick action packed program on television. Everyday held new horrors, as a seventeen year-old girl living on the streets may expect. Though, she did find new ways to look at life. She learned, that the scars engraved into her skin made her interesting, and they told her stories. In a messed up way, being stalked had sculpted her. It had reformed her, and made her a better version of herself.

Sometimes, it helped to think of it that way. Instead of viewing her situation as what it truly was – complete and utter Hell – She could think of it as a learning experience. She could ignore her problems that seem to never fade.

...

Outside, the cold air nipped at her cheeks, turning them an irritated pink color. In her run-down converse, she began her walk to the high school.

Her stomach was doing wild flips, when she thought about everything that was happening. But, if she started to have doubt in her decision, she would just remind herself that she has been to high school before. She was even a little popular in her old one. This one can't be too horrible.

Of course she couldn't say that she was still that same preppy girl on top of the social hierarchy. The old Annabeth would never stand up to anyone. She was quiet and reserved. She was extremely predictable.

But at this point, she'd like to think that she was stronger. If someone tried to 'bully' the new girl, that she would give them a piece of her mind. She even thought that maybe it'd be easier going to this school. She wasn't trying to impress anyone, or to keep up a status of popularity, so she could be herself. And, she could possibly know true friends.

When she made it to the high school, it was close to the designated time Reyna had set for her. She quickly searched for the third doorway, and found it quickly.

As she said she would be, Reyna stood there, waiting patiently. Annabeth approached her with a nervous smile.

"Hi."

Reyna turned to her and smiled back, "Anna, hey! I'm glad you found me. I was worried that I hadn't given you enough information."

Annabeth felt pleased with her concern, and chuckled, "Thanks, Reyna, you know, this really means a lot to me."

Reyna just smiled softly, and led her into the school to start the tour.

Ω

He was getting really tired of this kind of thing.

The girl with the hair, too straight to be natural, kept talking. Did she know he wasn't listening? Probably not...

She looked at him expectantly. Did she ask a question? Maybe he can get away with just nodding along.

"Percy..?" She asked slowly.

He shook his head to wake himself from the mental nap he had taken. "Wait, what?" He questioned her, pretending to look sheepish, though not really feeling it.

The girl's face fell, and she started again, "I wanted to know if you were free tonight... To _hang out_..." She enunciated the last part enough to know she was being suggestive.

Percy tried not to feel annoyed. He shouldn't have been... but he was. He didn't even know this girl's name! Maybe, she told him when he wasn't listening, but that was besides the point. "I'm not, actually," he said, his voice flat.

She looked up at him with raised eyebrows, as she cocked her hip to the side. Seriously? As if he _owed_ her an explanation. She continued to look at him pointedly. He sighed exasperatedly as he told her in a clipped tone, "You know. Hockey practice." And that was probably too nice. He should have just told her, to take her obnoxiously loud high heels and beat it.

Her expression washed with realization, and possibly a little relief of not being _completely_ rejected. He didn't know why she would feel that way though. Even if he wasn't the captain of the ice hockey team, he wouldn't have gone out with her.

It's not that she wasn't hot. Because she was. The problem was that he didn't know this girl. The only reason she asked him out was because of his position on the school's most favored sports team.

"Maybe another time, then?" she asked with a wink. _So, we're back to flirty and suggestive?_ He thought bitterly.

"I don't think so. I'm really busy... I'll come to you if I can find a place in my schedule. But, I doubt I'll be able to." He knew for a fact, that he would never be seeking this girl out. He just said it, to get her to take a hike. _As if she could in those shoes..._

She smiled broadly and walked away, probably feeling accomplished. She turned back once more, to throw a quick wave over her shoulder, as her tall heels, made loud clapping noises against the hard tile floor.

Percy sighed and slumped against his locker. Being the goalie for the hockey team, gave him an unfair advantage, to the girls ready to hump him.

That was the only reason girls ever ask him out- other than for his looks, which he didn't find any less shallow. He was tired of girls not wanting him for himself. He wanted to be known as Percy Jackson the goofball. Or Percy Jackson the trouble-maker. Even Percy Jackson-that kid that likes to skateboard, occasionally. Anything, but 'that sexy kid who's job is to prevent the little rubber disk from flying into the net.'

God, now he was starting to whine. But, hey, it wasn't like he was leading them on. He didn't take advantage of the many girls flocking him, and vowing for his attention.

That had to count for something, right? The amount of self-control he has had to express is almost incomprehensible. He did what was right. So, why did the girls make it so hard for him? With their stupid, short skirts, and their ridiculously tight tank-tops.

He's a teenage guy. He really _shouldn't_ be complaining. He should be worshiping the ground his father walks on, for giving him the genes that made girls drool over him. But, he wanted to be more than that. He wanted to feel...appreciated? For something more than his ability to glide on ice.

Shaking his head and dispelling the negative thoughts, he shouldered his backpack and headed to first period. Chemistry. If he was being honest, he'd have to say that he wasn't very good at science. Especially Chemistry. The best he could do was try and spell random words out with the element symbols.

When he walked into the classroom, he took his usual seat at the lab table in the back, left-hand corner of the room. His lab partner Jason was already sitting there. Jason was actually Percy's cousin, but they were close friends as well.

"Hey, Jase," Percy told his cousin.

Jason looked up at him and smiled. His eye caught something behind Percy, and he brought a hand up to his blonde hair, trying to straighten it out with his fingers. Percy smirked. He knew Jason well enough to know, when he started doing something like that, there was a pretty girl involved.

Like Percy, Jason didn't have trouble getting ladies. He was good-looking with bright blue eyes, and a kind smile. What Percy liked best about his cousin, was that he wasn't a player. He didn't accept _all_ the female attention. Jason had just gotten out of a two-year long relationship with his now-ex-girlfriend, Reyna.

Honestly, even Percy was sad when it happened. They had been together for so long, it was hard to think of things changing so quickly. The two were in love with each other. Then, only about a month ago, they unexpectedly broke up. To tell the truth, Percy was thinking Jason wasn't quite over Reyna yet. Which made sense; they dated for two years after all. It was just hard to see his cousin still giving lingering looks to the girl he still wanted, but wouldn't have again.

So, seeing Jason actually spiffing up for someone was refreshing. He was hoping a new girl could get Reyna off his cousin's mind. Turning around and following Jason's gaze to the table in front of theirs, he was slightly disappointed to see... Reyna. That idea had backfired.

Although, it wasn't only Reyna sitting down at her regular lab table. There was another girl; someone he had never seen before. As far as Percy knew, the seat next to Reyna was normally empty- from where Jason used to sit- but now it was being occupied by a girl with long blonde hair.

He couldn't see the front of her face- her back was turned to him, as she faced the board. But, from what he could tell, she was pretty attractive. Her hair was down, and fell off her shoulders in loose curls. She had a thin body with graceful curves. Her black leggings clung to her well-developed physique, and seemed to show off her deliciously rounded- He stopped himself right there. His thoughts were leading to places he considered off-limits. _Bad, Percy_,he scolded himself internally.

Swiveling back to look at Jason, he tried to determine who he was gawking at. It wasn't really clear. The girls seemed to be having a conversation. He wanted to know where this blonde girl came from. She obviously had to be new to the class, but did she already go to this school, and was just transferred into the schedule, or is she new to the whole school?

He could probably ask Reyna. The two had a good relationship...probably because she had never hit on him. She was always interested in Jason, so for that he always liked her. The problem was, that he couldn't exactly talk to his friend's ex-girlfriend right in front of him, without it seeming like he was just throwing it in his face.

Anyways, maybe Jason knew who she was. He could ask him.

Percy leaned in sideways to his cousin,"Who's the blonde?" he whispered to the blue-eyed boy.

Jason's eyebrows furrowed, as he studied the girl. He shrugged as he whispered back, "I don't know, but she's hot," he eyed the two girls together, "Hey, you think Reyna knows her?"

Percy mentally rolled his eyes at Jason's thoughts always retreating back to his ex, but still answered, "It looks like it," he tilts his head to the side thoughtfully, "I wonder who she is."

His cousin continued to watch the girls, until he straightens in his seat, "Only one way to find out..." he muttered. He raised his voice, and called towards where the two girls sat, "Reyna."

Said girl turned around curiously, and looks surprised to see Jason watching her, "Uh, what's up, Jason?"

He smiled shyly, and nods in the direction of the pretty blonde "Who's your friend?"

Reyna's eyes traveled to where he indicated. She blinked a few times before clearing her throat and turning back to Jason with a strained smile, "Guys," she turned to Percy, including him also, to which he was grateful, "this is Anna. She's new here."

At the sound of her name, the girl turned to see what Reyna was talking about. When Percy caught sight of her face, he was not even a little surprised that she was beautiful, as well. Her soft face was shaped like a heart, coming to a graceful point at her chin. Intimidating gray eyes studied the two boys closely.

At the start of Reyna's voice again, the girl broke her gaze. Reyna used her hand to gesture to each of the boys, "Anna, this is Jason, and that's Percy." She smiled at them, and waved a little. Her eyes didn't linger for too long, which Percy found curious. After being introduced, she politely turned in her seat, facing the board once again.

Most girls, if given the opportunity to be introduced to him, weren't very discreet about what they thought of him. They would wink, giggle, and bat their eyelashes. It was a continuous stream of one-sided flirting when he met girls. _Usually_.

He sounded full of himself when he said that, but it was the honest-to-God truth.

However, this girl, Anna, she didn't really do any of that other stuff. And sure, he's met shy girls before, but even they couldn't help but to stare at the popular and attractive Percy Jackson.

Maybe that's the thing. If she was new, she didn't know he was popular. She didn't know any of the rumors, or gossip about him.

For a second, it had crossed his mind that maybe he wasn't _good enough_ to her. He'd never experienced that before. Surely the former theory was more logical. Everybody wanted him. It was a fact.

Maybe he was full of himself.

What? A girl doesn't try to jump Percy the first time they met, and now he is questioning her judgment? What was wrong with him? He's the one with the problems now...

He didn't want it to be a big deal- a girl acting_ normal for once_, that is. So, he decided to let it go, and silently appreciate the confusing new girl.

Ω

**Yep. Chapter three is out. I hate this chapter. I have up to Chapter 13 written right now. I don't know, does Percy seem bipolar? I tried not to do that, but I can't tell if he is or not. I apologize for OOCness, but... I can't help it. I'll try to work on it. Thanks for reading, it means a bunch to me. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_It hurt. It seriously hurt her to think that out of seven billion people on Earth, she didn't have one person..._**"**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Four**

Annabeth was exhausted.

She had no idea how emotionally tiring a school day could be. Sure, the people were mostly nice. And yeah, the teachers were willing to help her out. The problem was the feelings came along with the lying and pretending.

Every time she was introduced to a new person, she had to remind herself that she wasn't Annabeth Chase. And, that kinda sucked.

Keeping up with her lies all day had taken a toll on her. She felt... _guilty_. Which was positively ludicrous. The difference could be whether she lived or not, but it still felt so _wrong_.

One lie led to another. It wasn't right- talking about her parents moving here because it was a more family-oriented town than New York City. Or how she couldn't join any of the sports teams her teacher offered, because she was busy after school. When the truth was that she couldn't wear the uniforms due to her scars.

Her facade of being a happy girl, without a care in the world was just getting more and more tedious. She had to make people believe that nothing was wrong. That she wasn't a runaway teen with a psycho ex-boyfriend trying to make her his pet.

What she hated most was lying about her identity. It made her feel like some kind of guilty criminal. Like she committed some unspeakable crime, and can't face the consequences.

She felt dirty.

Shame gripped at her, and kept her in a vice-like clutch. All of the pretending and acting, shouldn't make her feel so awful. Though, she had a premonition that there was more to it. There always was.

She had thought that maybe she hated it so much, because all of it was just a reminder of how her life got so bad.

Each time she had to think of an excuse, or make something up, somewhere in the back of her mind, she would think that if only she had a normal life, she wouldn't have to deal with it. If only she was more responsible when it came to Octavian, she wouldn't have to deal with being a new girl. She wouldn't have had to refuse running track- something she loved, just because she couldn't wear shorts in public.

She would be back at home, with her family. Although they're distant to her, it would be a lot more comfortable than an abandoned house without heat.

But, no. Each time she lied, she was reminded of Octavian, and the horrors that he caused.

So maybe it wasn't _just_ about shame. It was also about remembrance. And the fact that no matter where she went, or what she did, her past was going to follow her every step of the way. She couldn't-and wouldn't ever get out. There wasn't going to be an end.

Coming to this conclusion, shouldn't have been surprising-and it really wasn't. She knew from the moment she left home, that nothing would ever be the same. But, it actually _hit her_ at school. The situation started to weigh on her heavily, and it felt achingly real.

The feeling of painful solitude enveloped her once again. She was alone. There was nobody on her side. She had no one to help her out of the mess that is her life.

It hurt. It seriously hurt her to think that out of seven billion people on Earth, she didn't have one person.

It made her feel small. And worthless. She didn't like the feeling.

But, she had to fight it. All of it. She had to believe that, even if her past follows her around like a mosquito in summer heat, that one day it will be better. Not fixed, but better, or happier.

So, that's what kept her going.

…

She climbed through the front door to the house, and walked into the room she used as a bedroom. Pulling her bag off her back, she retrieves her journal. The book is opened to a crisp new page, and Annabeth begins writing.

"_... Today was rough. A lot of stupid revelations were made, and I'm not sure I should even write them down. Do I really want to remember this shit? School was supposed to make things better, not dig up thoughts I was trying to avoid. And to top it off, I've got homework..."_

No matter how much Annabeth enjoys learning, she will never like homework.

Sighing, she slipped out her Chemistry homework and got to work. At least it could help keep her mind busy.

Her schoolwork kept her occupied for a couple of hours, to which she was partially grateful. (It was still annoying. She already _knew_ all of this stuff.) Running a hand through her long hair, she got up from her previous spot on her bed, and wandered into the kitchen to get something to eat.

She chose a bag of Ramen noodle soup. Who cares if it's basically cardboard dusted in chicken flavor? It was twenty cents a pack.

Luckily the stove top still turned on, and she was able to boil some water for it. Once she had finished cooking her soup, she brought it out to one of the plastic-covered couches, and sat down to eat.

The warm noodles felt good in her mouth, and thankfully ceased her hunger. After she was done, she decided that she needed to get some sleep.

She went to bed thinking about how she could go to school the next day.

Ω

Percy arrived at hockey practice early. He wanted to warm up before the rest of the team arrived.

Being the captain, Percy liked to be good at what he did. He wanted to make sure that his teammates knew he worked hard for his goalie position, and liked to set a good example for them.

Although he may not be particularly fond of the attention he gets from his position on the team, he loves the sport itself. He loves skating, and more importantly, he loves winning.

Percy liked to win, like every other guy on the team did, but for different reasons. They wanted the satisfaction of beating the rival team. They wanted to keep the schools reputation for being the best in the state. Percy just liked making his mom proud.

It might have sounded stupid, but that was his favorite part about winning.

Percy had dyslexia. As well as ADHD. Academically, he was a failure. He could barely keep his grades above the passing mark, and it killed him to bring home the tests, to his mother who just frowned and told him to work harder.

She knew it was hard for him, because of all his conditions. So, she never yelled, or scolded him.

But, she couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.

That was worse than any amount of punishing she could do. It was the absolute worst thing in the world, to have his mother look at him like he was some kind of lost cause. It burned him in the most excruciating way to just think that he couldn't be the son she deserved.

So, naturally, he tried to make up for it, while pushing the painful thoughts to the back of his mind.

He walked into the locker room, and stepped in front of his assigned cabinet. He stripped down, padded up, and tightened his skates around his feet.

He did a few practice runs, skating in a tight oval around the rink. Then, he continued on to moved onto hitting a line of pucks into the net from different angles, using different techniques.

As the goalie, he didn't really need to work on these specific areas, but he liked to keep sharp in every aspect of the game. He wanted to be a master of the sport, so he could possibly get a scholarship into college. If he got into college-especially without paying, his mother would be so pleased.

Half an hour later, his teammates began making their way onto the rink. Percy ran practice. It's not that their coach was irresponsible, it was just that the players really responded well to Percy, and were more comfortable with their friend helping them out. So occasionally, the coach just let Percy take over.

Percy didn't push the boys any less than coach would have. Possibly even more. But, Percy's passion for the game was so strong, that the boys on the team couldn't let him down. They were all his friends. His family.

Not just Jason, and his other cousin Nico that played with him. He considered the whole team like family. He'd been with these boys since eighth grade- when you could join. Considering he was a senior now, he'd have to say they've been together for a while now.

Practice lasted about two-hours, until he let the boys go home. With the boys calling out praise, and clapping him on the back, he left the ice rink smiling. He felt tired, and he really wasn't looking forward to his Chemistry homework tonight.

Sadly, Percy failed his science class last year. So, instead of taking Physics like the rest of the seniors in school, he was stuck in Chemistry with all the juniors. It was kind of embarrassing, but it's not like people didn't know he was stupid already.

He arrived home that night to the smell of dinner cooking in the oven. The air was pervaded by the smell of fresh mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Entering the kitchen, he saw his mother cooking a pan full of lasagna.

His mouth started to water, and his stomach growled audibly. Sally turned around at the sound of Percy's rumbling tummy.

She smiled sweetly, and walked over to him to pat his belly. "It sounds like somebody's hungry."

The tips of Percy's ears turned pink, and he smiled sheepishly down at his mother. "Hey mom. Lasagna, tonight?"

His mother nodded as she ruffled his messy black hair. "Yes. How was practice?"

He responded, "It was alright. I'm a little tired, but that's typical."

She walked back over to the oven, to pull out the pan of food, as the timer sounded. "I'm glad everything is working out. Do you have any homework, tonight?"

He glanced at the backpack he had discarded at the door, "Uh, yeah. Chem."

She set down a plate in front of where he was sitting, "Don't forget to do it. If you need help, you could always ask me. I remember _some_ stuff."

He chuckled at his mom, knowing that she didn't remember a damn thing from high school, apart from English class. His mom wanted to be a writer, and things like math and science repelled her, just like it did to him. "Thanks, mom. But, it's alright. It shouldn't be too hard."

She smiled, and then cleared her throat. "So, Perseus, are you planning anything Friday night?"

He winced at the use of his full name. She didn't understand why he hated his name so much, and _he_ didn't understand how she could _like it _in the first place. Still, he replied, "Uh, hockey game is on Saturday... So, I'm thinking quick practice, then no... I'm not busy, that I know of."

She smiled, almost apologetically, and Percy was scared of what was coming next. Nothing good obviously. "Great, because your father has requested you to visit him."

Percy scowled suddenly, as the conversation turned to his father. "He _requested_ me? What does he think I am? Some kind of carry-out dish?"

His mother gave him a reprimanding look, "Now, Percy-"

She was cut off by her son's raising voice. He was getting frustrated. "He always expects me to be ready to suit his convenience. He only ever wants to talk to me when he needs something. I didn't get a call on my birthday, but when he wanted to show me off to his buddies at work, I was supposed to be all gung-ho about it. What does he want this time? To marry me off like some French princess?"

Sally looked exasperated and upset. Percy didn't like bothering his mother like that, but his dad made him so...hostile. He sighed, "Look mom, I didn't mean to jump down your throat like that. You know how I get about dad. I'm sorry."

"Percy, please do this for me. I want you to have a good relationship with your father. It may not seem like it, but he really does love you, and care about you."

Percy rolled his shoulders back a stretched, "Only for you, mom. I wouldn't put up with him for any other reason."

She frowned slightly, but still thanked him for cooperating. "I'm going to go do my homework, and get to bed," he stood up, and kissed her cheek, "Goodnight. I love you."

"Sweet dreams, honey," she cooed as she ruffled his hair once again.

With that, he headed off to bed. He wasn't going to actually do his homework. Like hell, he could read right now. He flopped into his soft bed, and was asleep within minutes.

Ω

**I'm sorry this is so short. Things won't really pick up next chapter, but soon hopefully. I don't want things to go too fast, because that's one of my problems as a writer. So, this is kind of just a filler chapter, and chapter five will probably be the same. I'm trying to draw the events out. And it's hard. Writing is hard. I'm sorry that mine sucks. _Anyways_, Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites. Any questions, feel free to ask. And a big thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with this story and reviewing and whatever. It makes me so ridiculously happy.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**P.S.: I got an amazing review from a guest named Ajax25. I'd just like to let you know, that your review was quite possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever lain eyes on. Thank you so very much for making me grin a smile so goofy, that my mother had to ask if I was alright.**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_The reason he wanted her, was because she didn't want him. How fucked up is that?..._**"**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Five**

Thursday morning, and Annabeth was in Chemistry class. The past few days had gone by similarly to Monday, but it was slowly becoming easier to lie each day. That wasn't exactly something she was proud of, but it was better than the painful memories of her past.

She'd have to call what she was feeling, something along the lines of "numb." She was coping with everything by ignoring it. Everyone says that it's best to "confront" your feelings, or whatever, but what was there to confront? She couldn't exactly walk up to Octavian and say, "I'd like you to quit ruining my life. Have a nice day." No. And, there's no way she can go back in time and get her life back.

Ignoring every thing was working out for now, so that's what she would continue doing. She picked her pen up out of her bag, and began taking notes on the teacher's lesson.

Reyna next to her did the same. Annabeth was really starting to like Reyna. They shared a lot of similar qualities. Like Annabeth, Reyna likes to focus hard on school work, and is extremely smart. She couldn't help but notice that Reyna also tended to be a bit controlling, just like herself.

She had told Annabeth about her past relationship with the blonde boy who sits behind her. Jason was his name. He was really good-looking, and by the way she talked about him, you'd think she wasn't actually over him quite yet.

They apparently broke up, because they were better as friends. She claimed that she only liked him in a platonic way, but Annabeth didn't buy it. Especially when Reyna scowls at the constant throng of girls flirting with the two boys that sat behind them.

The other guy was Percy Jackson. He was Jason's cousin, but to someone who didn't already know, you couldn't tell. They looked like exact opposites.

Percy had this head of thick black hair, that seemed to fly in every different direction. What was weird about it was, that he managed to make it look... Well, sexy. His broad shoulders, and large chest were hard to look away from, and his eyes were positively radiant. They were a bluish-green, that seemed to swirl around his irises.

From the only times she had talked to him-which was only once or twice, (The girls kept him _busy_.) she managed to note that he was a pretty funny guy. And, really laid back. He was definitely the life of the class. Being a senior, in an eleventh grade class, he made it his job to make fun of things, or just sound stupid for others' benefit. Which was really cool of him.

Walking in the hallways, he heard a lot about him. She didn't know if any of it was true, nor did she care. It wasn't like she could afford to be interested in him. There was no way she was letting anyone get caught up in her shit. And, to add to that, he was hopelessly out of her league.

Girls would say that he was this amazing Hockey-Player/Swimmer/Sex God. Not that all of them would know about the last one, but most claimed to have first-hand experience.

Which was...whatever. What this guy did in his free-time was completely his business. She honestly couldn't expect any less from a teenage guy. He had tons of girls after him, why wouldn't he mess with them. She didn't care. She wasn't interested in any relationship period, especially with a "Sex God."

So, just chilling around him in class was fine. They had never had a conversation involving _just_ the two of them. Until today, that is.

The teacher gave the last ten minutes of Chemistry to start the homework, but no one was actually planning on utilizing the time for that. So, it became a socializing free-for-all.

Reyna and Annabeth sat at their table, quietly talking amongst themselves. There was a lot of noise coming from the table behind them, as usual.

The caramel-skinned beauty had to leave early from the class to talk to another teacher, so she left Annabeth alone. Not that she minded. She wasn't all needy- and dependent. She just pulled out her journal, and began doodling a pair of evil icy-blue eyes into the next clean sheet. They were starting to look very realistic to Octavian's cold orbs; as she had hoped.

She jumped violently when she heard a voice right next to her ear, "Those are pretty frightening."

Looking up to see the offender, she caught eyes with an amused pair of green ones. Chuckling, he continued, "I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

Annabeth shook her head slightly, "Not really, more like...caught me by surprise."

He laughed again, "Whatever you say," he gestured to the now-empty seat beside her, "May I?"

A few girls across the room sent her scowls and sneers, but she ignored them. They really shouldn't feel intimidated. "Go for it," she replied easily.

He smiled at her and plopped into the seat, "So, Anna..." he started. She internally flinched at the sound of her fake name. If she concentrated hard enough, she could just pretend someone was calling her by a nick-name. She had been using that trick lately. "How are you liking the town?"

She gave it some thought before answering. She wasn't just going to call out the first thing that came to mind. He took the time to ask her a question, she should take the time to answer back.

The town was, honestly, not so bad. She thought, that if she had to live anywhere but Long Island, it'd be here. She could see her family here, in the beautiful old houses, with nice neighbors, and quiet streets. "I like it a lot here. It's really different from my old town, but I can appreciate this place for itself. I really love the architecture downtown."

He nodded along, listening, "Yeah, those buildings have been there for _years_," he emphasized the word 'years,' letting her know that this town was, indeed, as old as she thought. "Where did you live before here, if you don't mind my asking?"

She shook her head, "No, I don't mind. It was, uh, Manhattan." She felt a little uncomfortable telling people she was from New York. It always led to more questions, where she would have to lie, yet again.

He hummed thoughtfully, "My dad lives there. I actually have to visit him this Friday." The way he said it, didn't seem very enthusiastic, and he looked a little tense. He probably didn't like his dad.

"Anyway-" he was cut off by a higher-pitched voice that contrasted considerably with his deep, slightly raspy voice.

"Percy! Hey! I was wondering where you were," her eyes flickered sharply to Annabeth, "Who's this? I've never seen her before."

In context, it may have looked like she was being polite, by including Annabeth, but there was venom in her words. Percy looked slightly annoyed, which confused Annabeth, because she would admit the bitch was hot.

"Well, you found me," he sighed, "This is Anna Henry. She's new."

The girl obviously wasn't interested in Annabeth as she didn't even look back at her, "Percy, I was thinking, that after the game on Saturday, we could hang out, or something," she lowered her voice, and ran a finger up his muscular arm, "and my parents are going out of town this weekend..."

With that said, Annabeth was extremely uncomfortable, and felt like she was intruding. Percy could do whatever he wanted, but that did _not_ mean she wanted to know about it. She stood up from her seat, and excused herself politely, "It was nice talking to you guys. I'll see you later."

The girl smiled at Annabeth, probably glad that she was leaving, and waved. Annabeth didn't see Percy as she scurried out of the classroom, early. It was almost time to leave anyway.

Ω

Percy was irritated. Of course, the moment he works up the guts to talk to the new girl, he gets ambushed. And, the _worst_ part, Anna didn't even look jealous. She just got up and left!

She was so different from the rest. When he talked, she actually listened to what he was saying, she didn't flirt, or cut him off. It was refreshing to have a conversation with someone like that.

He thought that was why he had been giving attention to Anna. Because, she didn't ask for it. And, well, she was _extremely_ attractive.

It made him sound shallow- which, maybe he was. He'd grown used to having any girl he wanted at his finger tips. But, she seemed like she'd be harder to get. She didn't act interested in him, and it was frustrating!

The reason he wanted her, was because she didn't want him. How fucked up is that?

It was unattractive when girls threw themselves at him. He wouldn't sleep with a girl he didn't know. Because, wasn't that the point? It's called making love for a reason. As cheesy as it sounds, he wanted to love the woman he first sleeps with.

Yeah, Percy was a virgin.

Teenage guys all had the same reputation for being horny little fucks. And, it wasn't wrong. There was temptation; a shit load of it. Of course sometimes he really wanted to give in to it, but the truth was that his mom had taught him better.

He wanted his first time to be special, and without remorse. Without crying girls complaining that he didn't call them. Without the girl whining that he didn't seem interested.

He wanted to wake up the next morning cuddled up to the girl, without either of them regretting the night before. He wanted her smiling face to be the first thing he saw in the morning.

God, he's such a sap.

…

Tomorrow, Percy was expected to visit his father after school. Poseidon Jackson was some kind of important business man that lived in New York City.

He had his very own company. It dealt with overseas shipping, and transporting. The company kept his father pretty loaded when it came to wealth, and he had a pent house suite in some expensive complex.

When Percy visited his dad, all he felt towards the man was bitterness. While Percy and his mother were living in an old house Upstate, his father was living it up in Manhattan, with servants pleasing his every whim.

It was unfair. Poseidon only ever acknowledged Percy when it could benefit the old man. It was never out of love, or want to spend actual time with his son.

Sally and Poseidon had met on a small beach in Montauk, NY. They were only together for a few short months, until Sally found out she was pregnant, and Poseidon left her.

Percy would never forgive his father for that dick-move. The old guy thought he could make up for it by reentering his life at age twelve, but Percy wasn't interested in a civil relationship with his father.

He hated him.

His mom was alone. She didn't have a husband to help tame her rebellious, trouble-making eighteen-year-old son. She didn't have any help in raising the kid with ADHD and dyslexia. Her life was hard, and it all started with the asshole that was his father.

Pushing a hand through his thick hair, he sighed. He wondered what his father could want from him this time.

Poseidon sent him tickets to a train heading to Manhattan, on Friday evening. Luckily it was after hockey practice, but it was cutting it close. He'd have to hurry.

And then, he was going to have to ride home, the same night. He had to be back in town Saturday for his game.

The majority of Friday was going to be spent on a confined, moving vehicle. With ADHD, it was going to be torture.

Everything about visiting his dad sucked, to put it simply.

He was doing it for his mom. He had to make her happy. He could never deny his mother something she wanted. Especially since she asked for so little. She did so much for him, the least he could do was follow her simple request.

He didn't know why his mother wanted his father and him to be friends so much. If Percy had it his way, he'd ignore that the man even existed. Percy had a feeling that his mom still harbored feelings for Poseidon Jackson.

The thought made him all kinds of sad, disgusted, and angry.

After all he did to her, his mom couldn't help but to still love him. In a way that this man obviously never returned.

Poseidon didn't deserve Sally. As simple as that.

She needed to find a new man. Someone who was going to treat her like the queen that she was. And he needed to be Percy-approved, of course. That's a given.

He had hope that his mom would find someone that made her happy. And he was all for supporting her. His mom shouldn't have to suffer any more, at the hands of Percy's father.

Ω

**I knew this one wasn't going to be too interesting. It was Hell to write. I sat here for hours trying to think of what to say. And it's short. Merp. Only like 2,200 words. I apologize for that! Next chapter, things will pick up! Towards the end at least. So, if you have any questions, ask them, and hopefully I'll be able to answer. Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated as well as follows and favorites.**

**The feedback I have gotten on this story, is unreal to me. I didn't think anyone was going to read my story. But, you guys proved me wrong. With all of your kind words...I can't even express how good it feels. I've read every review, and cannot tell you how much I love seeing what you guys have to say. I love recognizing you guys' names from your multiple reviews, and seriously it just means the world to me. Thank you to each and everyone of you, Readers and Reviewers.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_'__You'll hold me up on a pedestal __for a few hours, but as soon as it's over, you'll toss me to the back of the closet until I'm convenient to you again, __right__?..__'_**"**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Six**

Annabeth's first week of school was officially over as the bell sounded in her U.S. History class. Reyna turned to her from her spot in front of the classroom, and nodded.

They were headed to the coffee shop they met in, after school today. Annabeth couldn't remember the last time she had actually hung out with a friend, so she was feeling really happy.

Together, the two girls walked outside, to the parking lot. Reyna owned a 2014 Chevy Malibu. It was black and shiny, and made Annabeth miss her own car.

Back in New York, her dad had got her a new Ford Fusion, and she absolutely adored it. It was a brand new car, and her father paid for the gas, and insurance. He had the extra money, so she didn't feel guilty.

Annabeth pulled open the passenger door, and flopped into the seat. Reyna chuckled at her, as she sat in the driver's seat. The car rolled out of the parking lot, and they were at the coffee shop in less than ten minutes.

Walking in, Annabeth took a seat at a table in the back of the cafe. Reyna queued up at the register, and order to hot chocolates for each of them.

When she walked back over, she claimed the seat across from Annabeth. Sipping from the cup Reyna handed her, she cherished the warm liquid in her mouth. The taste was sweet, and had a slight hint of peppermint. It was delicious, and Annabeth thought that maybe she could live off of it.

As Annabeth moaned into her drink, Reyna chuckled at her. The blonde spoke, "I'm letting you order for me from now on. You are a master of picking drinks."

"I work here, remember? I know what tastes good," Reyna replied, with an amused expression.

Annabeth nodded thoughtfully, and Reyna began to speak again, "So, tell me. How are you liking it here? And, be honest!"

Annabeth smiled at her friend, and thought about her answer before responding, "I am honestly, truly, genuinely happy here."

Reyna rolled her eyes, amused at the blonde girl sitting in front of her. "Wow, that's a lot of adverbs..."

She laughed, "Well, you asked! And, it's the truth. I really do enjoy it here."

Reyna thought for a second, "You're from Manhattan, right?" Annabeth's family lived in Manhattan before she ran away. She had spent her last six months in traveling through Brooklyn and Queens. But, when people asked where she came from, she always told them her birth town.

Annabeth nodded, curious as to what Reyna was getting to.

"Did you like it better there, than here?"

The gray-eyed girl answered as honestly as she could, without giving too much away, "There will always be the spot in my heart that belongs to New York. But, if I had to choose between there and here right now, I'd have to pick here."

The beautiful Hispanic girl smiled warmly at Annabeth, "I'm glad you're here as well, Anna."

…

Annabeth walked back home after spending a few hours hanging out with Reyna. When her friend offered to drive her home, she made an excuse about how she needed the exercise, and preferred to walk.

Reyna didn't look like she bought it, but thankfully didn't question her. It's the end of December, who would willingly walk home in the cold temperature, anyways?

Holiday break was coming up soon, and it was sort of bittersweet for Annabeth. On one side, she was going to have to suffer in the freezing house with nowhere to go for a week. On the other hand, she wouldn't have to keep up her facade for a while. It was mentally exhausting and she would be grateful for the time off.

Break was in one week, so when people started asking what she was going to do after break, she would tell them that she'd be visiting some family in New York City. That way, she wouldn't be expected to hang out with anyone.

Don't get her wrong, she liked spending time with Reyna, but, she'd have to keep making up excuses to keep people from her house.

When she finally arrived at the abandoned house, she didn't spend too much time eating. She hopped in her bed, and just thought for a while.

It was a Friday night, and she was at "home," in her bed. Teenagers at her new school were probably hanging out with their friends, having sleepovers, and getting high. All the fun stuff that teenager's are supposed to do. Well, maybe they're not supposed to get high, but that didn't stop them.

Reyna was at her sister's house. She told Annabeth she liked to visit her sister, Hylla occasionally. They were really close, and didn't get to see each other often.

If Percy Jackson hadn't said something about visiting his dad, she would have assumed he'd be partying at some college kid's house, getting drunk, and having sex with a random girl.

She seemed to be the only one who was having a boring Friday. And, it all had to do with her new life. She couldn't have fun anymore. If she was at home in New York, she'd probably be at her friend Rachel's house.

They would be giving each other make-overs, watching scary movies, and eating lots of junk food. They might even start gossiping, and spilling secrets. How cliché did that sound? But, that's what Rachel liked to talk about. Rachel wanted to know what it was like to sleep with Octavian, and Annabeth didn't hold back.

It wasn't something special to her, like it should have been – only she didn't know that at that point. She didn't care if it was supposed to be something shared only between Octavian and her. She told Rachel everything, and she made it clear what she thought of it in general. Which was, once again, _nothing special_.

But, she wasn't doing any of these things with her friend. She was sitting in a cold, and broken down home, in a town somewhere Upstate, feeling really alone.

The last week here in this city, had been a lot better than the places in Brooklyn. She made a friend. Though she could never tell Reyna the truth; she absolutely _couldn't_ drag someone else into her mess.

She can become friends with everyone in the school, and she'll still be alone. No matter what. Nobody could ever be on her side.

Ω

Percy was jogging out of the ice rink trying to make it to the train station in time to catch his ride. His calves were killing him, and he was cursing the ticket for expecting him to get there so soon.

He hadn't planned for practice to make his feet hurt so bad, and now he was paying for it. He made it to his car on the other side of the lot, and quickly clambered inside. He drove like a maniac down the roads, and thankfully(or un-thankfully, he wasn't sure yet.) made it to the train before it left without him.

The two hour ride was probably the most agonizing one of his life. It didn't help that he knew that he'd have to repeat it by the end of the night.

He quickly loaded off the train, and caught a cab. The cabbie asked where to take him, and Percy told him the address of his dad's flat.

The driver lowered his sunglasses and studied him through the rear-view mirror. With a look of disbelief on his face, he questioned, "You sure that's where you're headed, kid?"

Percy rolled his eyes at the man. "Are you serious? I know where I'm going. Thanks for your concern, dude," he replied sarcastically.

The cabbie raised his hands in surrender, "Whatever, man."

Arriving at the huge complex, he paid the driver and tipped him generously. Not because of his excellent service, more of a way to prove a point.

Percy walked into the building and went straight to the elevator. He ignored all the curious looks at him – those were starting to annoy him. Walking in, he pressed the button for the top floor. Since it was a private suite, he had to run the key card his dad had given him across the slot, to gain entry.

The doors opened smoothly into his father's large and grudgingly beautiful home. Right as he walked in, there was a window on the far side of the room that had a spectacular view of Manhattan beach on one side, and the New York skyline on the other. The place was styled in a modern way. Mostly black leather, with subtle hints of blues, and greens.

Sadly, it was just how Percy would have liked it, if it were his home. Another thing he had gotten from his dad.

Unfortunately, Percy was a spitting image of his father. There wasn't a doubt in anyone's mine, that he was a son of Poseidon. They both shared an equal love for all-things-ocean, and were great swimmers.

The water could always calm Percy down on a rough day. His mother didn't understand why he didn't join the swimming team. Percy could have been in the Olympics for swimming, he was so good at it.

The problem was that Percy's father was the swimming prodigy of his high school. And, Percy didn't want to be anything like his dad. He couldn't change his looks – he was stuck with those. But, he could ignore all of the other things that made him like his dad.

So, he didn't join swimming. He was happy with ice hockey anyway. He could cherish the water without following in Poseidon's footsteps.

Said man suddenly walked into the living room, from a corner hallway. "Perseus, my boy!"

Percy held back the scowl threatening to break onto his face. He was most definitely not his 'boy.' Obviously, because he hadn't had enough sense to call him Percy. "Poseidon," he acknowledged indifferently.

The old man ignored his son's lack of emotion as he asked, "Howwer ya doing?"

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? What do you need?" Percy countered bitterly.

His father's face fell slightly, "Percy, do you really think that I would only ask to see you, if I had needed something?"

Percy just stared at his father unblinkingly, until Poseidon sighed, "Alright, I need your help with something."

He wasn't surprised. He had expected it actually, but for a fraction of a minute, he had started to have hope that his father might like to have his company. That hope was crushed, rather quickly. "What is it?"

Poseidon pursed his lips, seemingly considering how to go about his request. "I want you to accompany me at a business get-together."

Percy really wanted to roll his eyes. This wasn't the first time he had been asked to go to one of those. "Why?"

Poseidon rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and Percy winced when he realized that he had the same nervous habit. He made a mental note to stop that, as soon as possible. "Well, uh, the client is a big fan of hockey..." His dad trailed off, and Percy found himself heating up in anger.

"Are you kidding?" he asked with venom.

"It's an important event. He'll love to speak with the best high school hockey player in the state..."

"You think I should just go along with you, to a dinner, where you'll show me off?" His hands started to shake. "You'll hold me up on a pedestal for a few hours, but as soon as it's over, you'll toss me to the back of the closet until I'm convenient to you again, right?" Percy was seething at this point, and he knew if he didn't take control of his anger soon, he would do something he'd regret.

"You'll act like dad-of-the-year, and we'll pretend that I look up to you? You'll pretend like you're proud of me, and maybe even take credit for 'teaching me everything I know?' No, Poseidon. I'm not doing it. Not this time. Forget it."

"If you'd just think abou-"

"Actually, you know what? Forget me. Forget everything I ever was to you. I'm not your son. Leave me alone, and don't call my mom or I ever again," Percy yelled indignantly. His face was red with anger, and unshed tears burned in his eyes. There was no fucking way this man was going to see him cry.

Poseidon reached out a hand to console his son, "Percy, hold on-"

He yanked away from the man's grasp, and turned towards the elevator doors.

"Percy, don't you walk away while I am talking to you! I am your father! You will respect me as such!"

Percy whipped around so quick, his father took a step back. He laughed darkly, without any humor, "Father?" He took a step closer to the man, and got close to his face. "Fuck you," he spoke to him calmly.

With that, he stomped to the elevator and violently slammed the button. Stepping in, he made one more obscene hand-gesture to his father before the doors closed. Being in a confined space, with all the extra anger he was carrying was not a good thing.

He stumbled out of the elevators and onto the streets of Manhattan. He was fucking enraged. And, had to keep himself from going back there and punching Poseidon in the face.

It might not have seemed like a big deal to anyone else, but Percy was fucking sick of being used. Especially because of hockey. And most definitely by his father.

No. That man, was not Percy's father. He was his biological predecessor, but nothing more than that.

Percy spotted a beer bottle on the sidewalk, and kicked it with as much force as his angry state could muster.

The glass flew through the air, and shattered against a brick building. Approaching the building, he could see that it was a corner store of some sort. Against the window were loads of paper advertisements.

He stood in front of the window, and studied the papers. The ads varied from baby-sitters, to cleaning services.

One paper, however, caught his eye. It was one of those "Missing" posters, they put up if a person gets kidnapped or something. Though, it didn't stand out to him, because of the big red lettering. No, it was because he recognized the young woman in the picture.

_MISSING_

_Have you seen this girl?_

_Annabeth Chase_

_Age: 17_

_Sex: Female_

_Eyes: Gray_

_Hair: Blonde_

_Height: 5'6"_

_Weight: 120 lbs_

_Last Seen: June 6th, 2013. In Manhattan, New York, NY._

_If you have any information about Annabeth, please call the number provided below. Thank you._

The girl in the picture had an uncanny resemblance to a certain girl in his Chemistry class. There was a number printed on the bottom of the poster.

Thinking about it for less than two seconds, he made the decision to grab the wrinkled paper, and stuff it in his pocket.

Annabeth Chase reminded him a whole lot of Anna Henry.

Ω

**Oh Shit. Percy's on to something! And what about Old Seaweed? He had the audacity to ask to use Percy again? Ugh. I'm hoping things are more interesting than the last couple chapters. Thanks for reading, though! Questions? Ask 'em! Reviews are appreciated as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Annabeth didn't gamble. But, this was a game. She was playing her cards, hoping that she could be safe here; hoping that she could trust someone with her secret..._**"**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Seven**

Annabeth's alarm clock woke her up at five-thirty on Monday morning. She clambered out of bed, to repeat her usual routine of showering, brushing her teeth/hair, and then dressing.

The weekend was agonizingly slow. If it said anything about how her break was going to be, than she was in for it next week.

She couldn't find anything to do in the barren house, and she was more than pleased when the weekend was over.

Most teenagers would never believe she was excited to be going back to school.

She walked to school. Like every other day, and arrived a little later than usual. She might be slightly late to class, today. Unlatching her locker, she pulled out the necessary items for class. She had Chemistry first period, and then she switched over to Business class.

After Business, she'd be able to stop at her locker once again. She closed the door to her cabinet, and tugged the lock shut.

She was about to head to class when she heard something that made her heart stop.

The sound came from behind her, and honestly, she was afraid to turn around. The voice was low, and smooth. It was a guy's voice. And, he called her name. Her _real_ name.

"Annabeth Chase?"

Recovering from it's previous shocked state, her heart sped up too fast to be healthy. Her palms started sweating, and her throat felt tight.

She heard footsteps advance her from behind. Her body stiffened, and she prepared her limbs in a fighting stance. She'd kick her way out if she had to.

The man tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder, "Can I talk to y-"

Lightning fast, Annabeth reached to the offender's grip, and grabbed his wrist. With all the strength she could muster, she flipped him over her shoulder, landing him on the ground. The blonde placed a knee on his chest, and held her forearm at his throat. Fortunately, no one was in the hallway, due to her tardiness.

She looked down to find... Percy Jackson. With an expression that read, he was scared for his life.

"Oh, shit!" she swore, releasing him quickly, and standing up. She held her hand out to help him up. He glanced at it warily, before taking a hold of it, and hauling himself up.

"Do you always judo-flip people when they try to speak to you?" he asked, rubbing his shoulders where they hit the floor.

Annabeth reached over and scuffed away some dirt off his shirt. "God, I'm so sorry," she said honestly, "But, you can't sneak up on me like that! Especially after... saying _that_!"

"I hardly 'sneaked up' on you!" Percy replied, with a look of disbelief on his face. Well, technically he didn't. He called her name, and proceeded to walk – rather cautiously – up behind her. But, that was besides the point! He addressed her as _herself_. Something had to be terribly wrong.

"Like I was trying to say before, Can I talk to you?" Percy asked, looking ready to dodge another attack.

Annabeth sighed, "I would guess so. You have a lot of explaining to do..."

The black-haired teenager scoffed, "Seriously? _I_ have explaining to do? You are off your rocker, Chase."

She flinched. Something in her flip-flopped when he called her by her real last name. Since when did Percy Jackson know who she was? She was starting to sense the feelings again. The shame, the solitude, and the reminders. Everything was about to be ruined by this one guy.

Just when she was starting to like it here, too. It hadn't even been a month. She'd only been here a week, and she was about to be run out by a person that wasn't even Octavian.

Obviously, the boy knew something. She couldn't leave him without an answer. Especially when she didn't know how much he knew.

Nodding, she grasped his forearm in her right hand, and led him to a janitor's closet across the hall. She stepped in the tall door-way, to see a pitch black room, that smelled of Lysol.

Annabeth's hand groped the wall blindly for some sort of light switch. When she found one, she hastily flipped it, and dragged Percy in, shutting the door behind him.

It is then that Annabeth realized the cramped size of the room. The wall opposite the door were made up of shelves with hundreds of bottles of cleaning solution. Turning to the boy she brought in here, she became aware of their close proximity. There are only a couple of inches between the two of them. Annabeth's breathing became a bit staggered, and she could feel the warmth radiating off of his body.

Percy chuckles, looking at the hand that she still had, clamped on his forearm, "You sure like to man-handle people, don't you?"

The blonde snaps her arm back to her body, she could feel a blush color her cheeks, and she cleared her throat, "Uh, sorry..."

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Don't worry about it."

Sensing his hesitation to ask what he wants to, Annabeth spoke first, "How do you know? _What_ exactly do you know?"

One of Percy's hands traveled to his book bag. He unzipped the pack, and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. He straightened it against his leg, and proceeded to hand it to her.

On the sheet, there was a large black-and-white copy of the school portrait from her last high school's picture day. In big red letters, on top of the page, the heading read "MISSING." She could feel her hands start to shake. Soon, her whole body would follow suit.

"Where did you get this?" her tone was icy and calm. She honestly had no idea that people were trying to find her. For a fraction of a second, she entertained the idea that her family has actually been looking for her, all along. She came to her senses quick enough, though. These posters, no doubt, were put up by Octavian.

He seemed affronted by her sudden cold demeanor, "Found it at a stop-and-shop off Macdougal Street, in Manhattan. I remember mentioning to you about visiting my dad on Friday..."

He did mention that he was going to his father's. She should have known. "Friday?" she felt her stomach churn, and her palms continued to moisten, "You didn't, uh..." she trailed off uncomfortably, gesturing to the unfamiliar phone number at the bottom of the page. He had a whole weekend to place the call, telling the person that he'd seen her, and knew exactly where she was.

The boy sighed, "No, I figured I'd talk to you first," he looked at her with barely concealed concern, "Anna, what is all of this? What does this mean? I just don't understand."

Annabeth looked away, she simply couldn't tell him all the truth, but she was relieved that he hadn't done anything. "Percy...I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you, but I just can't. There's really not a way for me to explain everything. Just... just promise me you won't tell anyone."

"Annabeth..." he warned, but she cut him off.

"Listen, if you want to help me – if that's what this is about – then you can't tell anyone. Obviously I haven't been kidnapped, but I left, Percy. I ran away...for my own safety. And, that's all I'm saying about my reasoning."

He shook his head, and looked extremely exasperated when he said, "Annabeth, don't you get it? Try to imagine the position I'm in right now. I don't know what the right choice is." Percy looked like he was beginning to freak out. The internal struggle in his head was evident as he yanked a hand through his hair.

"I understand that I've been giving you cryptic answers, and that you're trying to help me – and I appreciate that. I really do. But, I can't explain things well enough without dragging you into all of the shit that is my life. Trust me when I say you should stay out of this." She was beginning to tear up. Desperately, she tried to blink the tears back, but one lone track made it's way down her cheek. Her hand hastily wiped away the small sign of weakness.

If Percy looked conflicted before, it was nothing to now. His eyebrows were scrunched together, and his hands were rubbing his face tensely. It was nice that he cared as much, but she needed him to see that the right decision is to let everything go. She was so scared at that moment. If Percy called that number, she would no doubt be released into her ex's clutches.

"You ran away from New York City? So, you came here, and...Wait. Where are you sleeping at night? Do you live on the streets?" he demanded to know, horrified.

She didn't know why she felt embarrassed at Percy thinking she lived on the streets. A light blush covered from her cheeks all the way down to her neck. "No! I live in an abandoned house, on Circular Street."

The raven-haired boy gaped at her, as he was about to protest, she was saved by the bell. She felt relief wash over her; she had an excuse to get out. But, first Annabeth needed to make sure he would keep his mouth shut. "You won't tell anyone, right? Please, Percy. I'll do anything," she pleaded.

Hesitating slightly, he sighed, then nodded resolved. "Fine. But, this conversation isn't over." He gestured between the two of them with his fingers.

Impulsively, she threw her arms around his neck in a bone-crushing hug. Still tangled in his embrace she whispered, "Thank you... _so much_." Pulling away quickly, she raced out of the closet to her next class, leaving a slightly flustered Percy behind.

...

Annabeth desperately wanted to trust Percy. There was no way for her to know if he decided to call. They give out handsome rewards for finding people that have gone missing. What if he chose the money?

For her sanity, she had to believe that Percy would keep his mouth shut. He didn't seem like that bad of a guy, but she didn't know him that well. They weren't friends. She had no proof that he would keep his word. And, he had no reason to. She meant nothing to him.

In the closet, both of them missed Chemistry class. So, she headed straight for Business. Honestly, she didn't favor the class at all. It was boring, and in her life, it was useless as well. Sitting down in a chair towards the back, she glazed over to the teacher's smooth baritone voice.

She started to consider the fact, that maybe she should leave town.

It wasn't safe for her anymore. Surely, she didn't want to leave, but if she got away now, then she could already be a few steps ahead.

Annabeth didn't gamble. But, this was a game. She was playing her cards, hoping that she could be safe here; hoping that she could trust someone with her secret.

Sadly, whether she liked to admit it or not, Percy was apart of this. She didn't want anyone to become involved, but there was no way she could have prevented him from finding out. It was out of her hands. Some may even call it fate.

Percy may not realize that her life could potentially be in his big, calloused hands.

It was a scary thought to even her. She hated not knowing what to do. She hated not having control over her own life. In a way, it's been like this for months now, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

All Annabeth could do, was hope that the fates weren't as cruel as they're made out to be.

Ω

Percy's mind was running at the speed of sound.

Everything Annabeth said was on replay in his thoughts. He was desperately trying to grasp the meaning of all of it.

He didn't want to go to his next class. With everything going on in his life right now, he figured he earned a day off. So, he jumped into his Jeep Grand Cherokee, and drove to the only place he could think that would help.

Arriving at his favorite pond, he pulled his car to the side of the dirt trail, and stepped out. The air was breezy and cold, it nipped at the exposed skin of his face and neck. The pond lye in a clearing between two sets of tall hills, that were coated in tall pine trees.

It was a secluded place- One of his favorites. He had discovered this place a few years ago when he went camping with Jason and Nico. The other two boys didn't seem to appreciate the small clearing. But, when Percy saw it, his cousins had to drag him away.

Though, that still hadn't been enough. Percy had been coming back to the place ever since. He mostly saved it for times that he needed a reminder of the beautiful things in life. This was most definitely one of those times.

The shit that went down with his father had been enough to throw him into a dark confusion, but now, there was the added component of all things Annabeth Chase.

He approached the round pond. The water was glistening a luminous green color, while rocks protruded out of the smooth surface.

Sitting down on the bank, he closed his eyes and breathed deep. His special place had already given him the relaxing affect. Tugging his jacket tighter around his torso, he arched his back into a stretch. The air smelled of pine tree and winter musk. It was a good scent.

He began to think of Annabeth.

She had told him things, that he still didn't quite understand. And things that scared the ever living shit out of him. Not that he'd admit it of course.

Annabeth was a runaway. He didn't know exactly why, other than that it was for her safety. What could that mean? Maybe her parents abused her. But, if her family hated her enough to abuse her, then why would they put up missing posters? Obviously they missed her.

Who was Percy, to keep a family from finding their child? It was wrong...wasn't it? What if Annabeth was just an overly-dramatic teenage girl, who ran away to get attention? He didn't know her well enough to determine if she was just some psychopath.

The dilemma was eating away at his sanity. He had never felt so conflicted. And, he couldn't even get advice about it. He had promised her silence. If he asked his mom, she would surely call the phone number. She would have the mind-set of a worried mother; all she would think about would be the family missing their child.

The only thing keeping Percy from tattling like a little kid, was that Annabeth could be telling the truth. She could be in actual danger, and if Percy called, than what was he if she was thrown back into a home of low-lives..?

He groaned loudly, and pushed his hand through his hair harshly. Why wouldn't she just tell him? He could help her! She shouldn't be living in that broken down house all by herself. She shouldn't be going through any of the stuff she is. Especially by herself.

The only thing he could think of doing would be to try and figure her out. He'll get to know her, and become her friend. And that will help him decide what to do. He won't be telling anybody about what he knows of her, because he couldn't break a promise.

But, one way or another, he would be getting his answers.

Ω

**How did you like it? I hope I captured all the scenes right. I wasn't really sure how to go about the whole confronting process, but I think I like how it turned out. There was a lot of thinking and mental struggle in this chapter. Especially for Percy. Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, you can PM me, or leave one in a review. I'll try my best to answer anything. I know my writing makes no sense sometimes. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites. **

**I also wanted to ask about my updating. I know I have been updating everyday since I first published this story. I've been able to do that because a lot of the story was pre-written. I want to ask if it's bothering everyone with the constant updates. I know it might get annoying and hard to keep up with. So, if you'd like me to slow down the updates, just let me know. I'm writing this story for you guys, and I don't want to annoy you with so many updates so close together. (I just can't stand it when authors take a month to publish one chapter!)**

**I'll normally update after school.**** So, that's probably when I'll keep ****doing it**** unless for some reason I don't have the chapter done and have to post later.**

**S****o, tell me if you want me to change the way I update. I want to make sure I'm not bugging anyone.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_He was made for this. His moves were quick and elegant. It was like he was __performing__, his every action was a __dance__..._**"**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Eight**

Walking into school the next day, Annabeth was on the lookout for Octavian's cold smirk.

She didn't know why she had so little faith that Percy would keep his promise. But, it's not like he was a straight-A student that was in Honor's society. He was a player. A troublemaker. He wasn't someone known for his spectacular trustworthiness.

It might not have been fair to judge him based on the gossip she heard, but what else was she supposed to go off of? She had talked to him only a few times, and he seemed like a nice guy, but it just wasn't enough for her to trust him with her biggest secret.

But then a thought crossed her mind. What if, Percy being a troublemaker is actually a benefit to her. Because, most people – if they were in his position, would probably have used the poster as soon as they found it. Though, Percy – rebellious by nature – didn't follow the rules. He did what he thought was right. Maybe that trait would be the thing that lets her stay here.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Percy Jackson arrived to Chemistry class, earlier than usual. He seemed to be looking for something.

Or someone.

His eyes set on her, and with a determined look, he started towards her.

"Annabeth," he called.

Her eyes widened and she threw him a warning look. When confusion settled over his features she rolled her eyes, and hushed him.

He made it over, and stopped in front of her. "What?"

"Are you serious? You can't call me that in public!" she whisper-yelled.

He smirked slightly, "Are you insinuating that you would like this conversation to take place in private? Because that could be arranged..."

She slapped his shoulder, "I already missed this class yesterday because of you and your 'conversations.' After that, can you blame me for being wary of talking to you?"

Chuckling, he said, "No more surprises, I swear."

She let a small smile make it's way onto her face, "Okay. What's up?"

"Alright, so I've been thinking-"

She cut him off, "Uh-Oh..."

"Shut up. Anyways, I want you to give me a chance," he told her.

"A chance at what?" the blonde inquired.

He pursed his lips, "I would like a chance to... I don't know, be friends? I'd like you to entrust me with your problems," he stated with a firm expression. She would have laughed if he had not been serious.

She was shaking her head before he even finished, "Percy, I can't make deals like that. I told you that I'm not bringing you into this."

The boy frowned, "C'mon, just give me a chance. I'll prove to you that I'm trustworthy. I've kept my promise."

"I hate to say the whole 'it's not you, it's me' thing, but that's what this is. It's not about whether I can trust you or not, it's about your..._well-being_, I guess. You're already more involved than I'd like you to be. This is dangerous shit I'm dealing with. And, I don't need help."

Percy shook his head tiredly, "You shouldn't be going through any of this alone. Whether you say so or not. You _do_ need help."

"Percy, please. Drop it," she begged.

He squeezed his eyes shut, "I will. But, I'd still like to be your friend. Don't tell me that you can't have any of those, because I've seen you and Reyna."

She chuckled, defeated, "You're a stubborn little shit, aren't you?"

He grinned, "Hey, I push for what I want."

"Fine. We can try to be friends. I make no other promises."

"Great! You know what," he considered, "Why don't you come to my hockey practice after school today?"

She thought about it briefly. It probably couldn't hurt. It might actually be fun to see him in his element. "Sure. Sounds like fun," she smiled.

Percy's face broke into a grin that stretched from ear-to-ear. "Cool! Practice starts at 5:00, but you should come a little earlier, so I can show you around."

She agreed to the time, as Percy waved and headed back to his seat. "See you later, Annab-... Anna!"

Strangely, she couldn't keep the smile off her face, all class. Percy was something, that's for sure.

…

Annabeth didn't realize she'd have to be walking to this ice-rink in the middle of December. Something about Percy made her brain all fuzzy. She tended to forget things when he was around.

There had to be some kind of bus she could take. She walked from the abandoned house to the nearest bus-stop, and looked at the scheduled times. There was one set for twenty minutes away. She figured it would have to work.

In the lonely twenty minutes at the bus-stop, Annabeth retrieved her journal. She was going to have to talk about the whole Percy-situation.

"_...He's so weird. No one's tried this hard to be my friend before. Though, maybe it's because he knows part of my secret. The more pessimistic side of me thinks he is trying to get in my pants – Good luck with that, Percy Jackson. I'm not making that mistake again..."_

The bus screeched to a halt a few feet away. Tucking her book back into her bag, she climbed the steps inside. Her fingers were cold, and she had her hood pulled up over her head.

She was starting to regret agreeing to this. She doesn't know anybody on the hockey team, other than Jason and Percy. It would be so awkward. Her and Percy are trying to be friends, but things are still weird between the two.

The bus ride was long and boring, but lucky for her, she made it to walking distance from the ice rink at 4:30.

She got there about ten minutes later, and her cheeks were flushed from the temperature. Her nose was pink and runny. Tingles could be felt through the exposed skin of her neck and hands.

Immediately, she saw Percy waiting in front of the door. He grinned when he saw her, and waved her over. "Hey! I'm glad you could make it!"

He surprised her by pulling her into a quick hug. But, as soon as the embrace had come, it had passed. "Hey Percy," she greeted.

"Lemme show you around," he started pulling her by the arm, into the building.

After about twenty minutes of strolling around the ice rink, Annabeth could say she knew where the bathrooms were. That's about it. She had trouble focusing when Percy's voice had been so smooth.

Annabeth spent more time watching his expressions, and features than what he was supposed to be showing her. It was her way of getting to know Percy. She liked to study him. He was interesting.

She acquainted herself in a seat in the stands, that Percy had brought her to. He said he'd see her in a few minutes. He had to get dressed, and then he'd be out on the ice.

He specifically gave her instructions not to look at other guys. He was probably joking, but that didn't stop her bright blush.

Percy was back a little time later, suited up heavily in pads, and big boot-like ice skates. She'd be lying if she said he didn't look good in his uniform. It made him look bulky and muscular.

Annabeth watched him intently as he flew out onto the ice. He glanced up at her and winked. She just smiled and waved back to him.

Other teammates made their way onto the rink, all swiftly starting their practice runs.

Becoming aware of the lack of presence around her, she looked around, and noticed that there weren't any other people in the stands. She thought there would at least be a few dedicated mothers or something, but there wasn't.

When she looked back to the rink, she saw Percy soar over the ice gracefully. She could understand why he was the captain. He was made for this. His moves were quick and elegant. It was like he was performing, his every action was a dance.

He was beautiful on the ice.

After the practice was over, Percy retrieved her from the stands. "So, what did you think?"

She nodded her head, "You're really good, you know."

Annabeth was rewarded with a light blush coating his face, he bit his lip, "You think so?"

"Seriously, Percy. You fucking rock."

He chortled loudly, "Thanks. That means a lot."

Percy looked around the arena for a second, then back to her. "Hey, do you need a ride?"

She immediately shook her head, "No. No, I'm fine. I'm taking the bus."

His face took on a look of horrified shock, "What?! No! I can take you home!"

"It's fin-" she started.

"Uh-uh. I'm taking you home. Come with me," he said as he led her to his car.

…

Sitting in the passenger seat of Percy's car was weird.

She felt...normal. Not that it wasn't a good feeling. If she concentrated hard enough, she could just pretend that they were two normal friends dropping her off at her parent's house before curfew.

Percy did everything in his power to dispel any awkwardness that may have risen. From the poking her in the side of the head when she got quiet, to the singing loudly to some Brittany hit from the 90's.

She had to admit, it was a nice effort, and she really appreciated it. It had been a long time since she had laughed so hard.

"So..." Percy drawled.

"What? Is the silence too much for you, Seaweed Brain?" she laughed.

With an incredulous huff, he questioned, "Seaweed Brain?"

Her hand hit her forehead in embarrassment, "Oh God. That sounded better in my head."

Percy laughed loudly, "I never thought I'd see the day, Annabeth makes herself look like a fool."

She set him with an intimidating gaze.

He put his hands up in surrender, still snickering, "I take that back."

"Good idea."

At that moment, Percy pulled up to the abandoned house. "How did you know where I live?"

He rolled his eyes, "How many abandoned houses do you think there are in this town?"

She nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Thanks for the ride. It was better than the bus."

"I should hope so!" the boy scoffed.

She just laughed and opened the door. As she was about to step out, Percy spoke again. "Are you sure you're okay here? There's always room at my house."

The thoughtfulness that he expressed had warmed her heart, but she couldn't go to his house. That would put them in so much danger. And, there was nothing wrong with the abandoned house. Sort of. "I'm fine, Percy. Thanks, though. I don't wanna intrude." _And, I don't want your mom to know about me_, she added silently in her head.

He shook his head. "My mom would have an aneurism if she found out I'm leaving a girl here like this."

Annabeth just looked at Percy for a second, "You've helped enough. Let me return the favor. This is about your safety as well. I'll tell you from first-hand experience- it's not fun being tracked down to the ends of the Earth."

Percy stared at her, his mouth agape. "Wha-?"

Before he could say anything, she reached over the console, and gave him an awkward half-hug. Although, it looked like he still appreciated it. "Thanks again, Percy. Goodnight."

He watched her intently as she moved out of the car, "Night Anna." He still seemed confused, and now very worried. Maybe she shouldn't have added the last tidbit. Oops.

Stumbling blindly into the dark house, she felt her way to the bedroom, and fell onto the bed immediately. She was asleep within seconds.

Ω

Percy was left with more information.

Luckily, being her friend was working. She had told him something about being tracked? It made no sense to him.

Trying to piece together everything Annabeth had given him, had been more difficult than one of those master Sudoku games she likes to play so much. And, that's saying something.

He was starting to feel scared for her. She ran away from her parents. Okay. Now, are they tracking her? That must be why she didn't want him to call the number. It would just give away her location.

Before, he hadn't realized that it was more than her just running away. No, now he knew she was hiding. And, people weren't just looking out for her, but they are hunting her.

He couldn't imagine how scary her life was. When he first met her, he'd never believe there was anything wrong with her or her life. Though, now it makes sense why she didn't seem interested in him. She didn't even want friends. Especially not a boyfriend.

That – for some unkown reason – disappointed him. He knew she was seriously beautiful, and yeah, she was funny and endearing as well. But, there's no way she would ever go out with him.

She was great in so many ways. And, she was full of surprises. Whenever he got bored in class today, he thought back to yesterday when she had judo-flipped him in the hallway. It was amusing, and seriously impressive. But, he figured she'd have to know how to defend herself in her situation. That's probably why.

He didn't want her to have to go through this stuff. It was weird. It's like he was starting to feel protective of her. He'd only known her for a week, but they were kinda-sorta friends. And, he admitted to kinda-sorta-maybe liking her slightly more than that.

But, he wasn't going to act on it. It wasn't fair to her to put her in that position, and was too much to expect from her.

It was interesting to him, that he liked a girl – the only girl – that didn't feel the same way. Percy had always been difficult like that.

He was extremely glad they were becoming friends. He wanted to be there to support her and help her out. She was going to make it difficult, he knew that much. But, he didn't care. He had already made the decision in his head. He was going to try to fix things for Annabeth.

No matter how dangerous she said it was, he was in it, and is not backing out anytime soon.

Ω

**Chapter eight is finished! Yay! This took so long. Seriously. I'm not particularly proud of this chapter, I didn't really like it, but whatever. It's really just another filler. I hope you liked it though. Thanks for reading! If you have questions, ask them! Reviews are appreciated as well as follows and favorites.**

**And, you guys seem to all be okay with everyday updates, so I'll continue to do those.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_It was like her sucky excuse for a life was made more distinct, because she had a taste of the freedom; a taste of the normalcy that she craved. Some days, she found herself struggling so much with the facts, that she would break down..._**"**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Nine**

_Three Weeks Later_

Annabeth could definitely say her and Percy were friends.

It was inevitable, considering that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Despite that, she had actually taken quite a liking to the kid.

Percy was... not like he'd been made out to be. At least, from what she had heard about him before. The two had never actually talked about girls – the ones that favor him, in particular. But, in the past few weeks, she hadn't once seen him try to pick up any girl.

In reality, he didn't seem interested at all. Sometimes quite annoyed with them. The only reason she hadn't figured him gay, was for his extreme infatuation with Selena Gomez. He denied the accusation, claiming that the word 'infatuation' was too strong, but Annabeth had seen him when he was watching the _Slow Down_ music video. He had no case.

Annabeth and Percy mostly spent time together at school, and at Percy's hockey practices. She went to as many as she could, because Percy said he liked having his own number one fan. She would joke that any girl in the school would take up that position in a heartbeat, but dropped it as soon as she saw that those kind of things made him uncomfortable.

No one would have been able to tell her that Percy Jackson didn't like the female attention he got, when she first came here. If she had not gotten to know him better, she never would have assumed that he doesn't even go on dates, let alone sleep around.

The thought was oddly comforting. And, after their time together, she was glad she could be his _only_ number one fan.

She hadn't relayed any more information about her past life to Percy, yet. Although, he always asked. It got harder and harder to tell him 'no' each time. But, she pulled through, and thought about how it would affect him if he got involved.

He was extremely curious, and always had his own theories. One day, she had asked him what he _guessed_ had happened, and he told her what he thought. About how her parents must abuse her, and are trying to find her with the missing posters.

She laughed internally, but had kept an impassive face as he told her. And, she wouldn't tell him if he was right or not. It made him frustrated, but in the end, he could kind of understand.

He had never been inside of the abandoned house. She wouldn't let him in, because if he saw her living conditions, he'd surely drag her into his car and take her home with him.

Percy was so protective of her. At school, if a boy tried to ask her on a date, before she could utter a polite rejection, he would jump in with a growl, and tell the kid to get lost. On the outside, she had yelled at him, but inside, she felt weird tickling sensations in her stomach. It was cute when Percy got jealous, though she'd never admit it to his face.

In a way, she guessed she could say that she liked Percy. _A_ _lot_. Like enough to say that when girls hit on him, she became as jealous as he had.

The problem was, that she had to deal with these occurrences, much more frequently than he did.

It's not like she could be in a relationship with him. It was too risky. She didn't know what she would do if she was the reason he did something stupid. Like, get himself killed by Octavian, if he were ever to find out. It was just too dangerous.

That didn't mean she didn't think about it. Because, oh she did. She wished, once again, that she could have a normal life, and date who and when she wanted to.

Though, she didn't even know if he felt the same way. He could only be scaring off guys, because he doesn't want to share his new best bud.

People had started to notice their close relationship. Girls were envious, and it made Annabeth smirk every time she got a dirty look. At least she had Percy – Well, some what.

She couldn't say that she didn't appreciate Percy's friendship. It had taken a toll on her – albeit a positive one. Before, she was struggling so much with feeling alone all the time. But, when Percy's around, it hurt very little.

There was always a certain longing she still felt. She wanted to share her every experience with him, with anyone, just to get it out. But, she knew she couldn't have a normal life where she could do things like this. She had already come to terms with it.

When she was around him though, that stuff became harder to accept. She didn't like keeping things from him when he had helped her so much already.

Things concerning her life as a whole, became another something she didn't like to think about. It had been the same game since she moved here. Everything was harder on her once she found friends. It was like her sucky excuse for a life was made more distinct, because she had a taste of the freedom; a taste of the normalcy that she craved. Some days, she found herself struggling so much with the facts, that she would break down. She cried and yelled and overall threw a temper tantrum. It wasn't fair. The cards she'd been dealt were completely unjust.

It had been a little over a month since she arrived in this town. If she was still on Long Island, she'd believe it was around the time Octavian would find her. But, here, she felt almost safe. She had a strange feeling that things might actually work out.

Octavian would have no idea to come here. He'd probably been searching all over New York City, and had yet to find her.

Then, she started thinking that she might be able to stay in this town for a long time. The truth was, she didn't often let herself think of what's to happen when it was time for her to leave. It hurt a lot more than it should to think about leaving the small town.

Sadly, the move was inevitable. Octavian would eventually find her, and assuming she made it out alive, she would have to go without a word to anyone else. Percy and Reyna would be hurt. She knew this. She hated to think that she was just leading them on, in a way. But, if she told either of them she was going, they would force her to tell them about what was happening, and possibly even make her stay.

She didn't want to put her new friends through that. Or through anything that Octavian had to offer. It was hard on her, to have to make selfless decisions like so. But, when it came to Percy and Reyna, she would always put them first.

Reyna was a big fan of the Percy/Annabeth friendship. She was dead-set that the two were in love, and just keeping it from her. Which was extremely awkward for Annabeth, because she did have feelings for Percy.

The caramel-skinned beauty wanted the two of them to be in a relationship. They think it was because Reyna hates all the skanks that hang around Percy. She was never one of them, and she found their behavior appalling, along with Annabeth.

At first, Annabeth didn't care. She was perfectly fine with other girls trying to grope Percy in the hallway, or the rumors about their late-night activities. But, once she realized she had unfortunately developed feelings for the Seaweed Brain, things sort of changed. She got uncomfortable with it all, as expected.

What surprised Annabeth the most, was the fact that she didn't regret Percy. She didn't regret being his friend, or having a crush on him, because he made her feel good. Most of the time. When she was with him, she was a normal, happy, teenage girl. And that's all she could ever want from him.

Maybe it was selfish of her. She felt that way, sometimes. She knew how this friendship would end – With her leaving him. And, the guilt was sometimes unbearable, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him.

She couldn't lose one of the very few things that made her happy, these days.

Ω

Percy could accept the fact that he harbored feelings for Annabeth.

What he couldn't accept was the way his stupid heart would speed up whenever she came around. Or, the way his palms got all clammy. Or, the worst of them all, the way his brain turned into absolute mush, and he couldn't even speak right.

It was just embarrassing sometimes. How could one girl make him into a whole different person? Especially some gurgling, love-sick puppy.

Annabeth, to him, was the epitome of everything he wanted in a girl. And everything he couldn't have.

She was smart. Like, questioning-her-is-a-threat-to-your-own-intelligence smart. And, God, she was beautiful. He couldn't concentrate in class, when she sat in front of him. Which, unfortunately for him, was everyday in Chemistry. He didn't think his grade could get any worse in that class, but he was wrong.

Over the last few weeks, he had been able to learn about her personality as well. And, he was impressed by her strong-willed, honest, brave, and caring style of being. It would have been impossible for him to ignore his crush on her.

Sadly, that applied to all the other boys in school that knew her as well. She was like a shiny new toy at first, but then she just became desirable. Because, she never went out with anybody.

Percy had asked her why, although he could guess. And, he had been right, when he thought it was because of her situation. She didn't want to "drag anyone into this." She had said it so many times, it started to feel like a proverb or something.

Honestly, he had been trying so hard to get her to open up. But, it seemed like a lost cause. She was always so closed off. He was glad that he could call himself one of her best friends, now. But what was it worth if he couldn't do anything for her?

And, the worst part was that he could see her struggling some days. He could see how hard for her things were. He just didn't know what to do to help. It was beyond frustrating to watch his girl war with herself. She seemed so conflicted, and hurt. It was painful to watch.

Though, it just made his resolve to figure her out even more strong. He looked back to the time when he had considered her to be an overly dramatic teenage girl, and cringed. He could see how wrong he had been. And, he couldn't dream of calling the number on that poster anymore.

Maybe it wasn't just about her, though. He couldn't stand it if she had to be taken away, back to New York City. He couldn't let her go. And, when he thought of those people that were looking for her, he hoped that they would never find her, so she would never have to leave.

Also, he hadn't spoken to his dad since the night where he blew up. Looking back now, he felt a little regret, and slight embarrassment for the overreaction. But, he wasn't going to apologize. He believed – however dramatic – that his little 'freak out' was justified.

His mother had been disappointed in him. And it hurt so bad. It felt like a poison dagger to the heart. It killed him to do that to his mom. But, his dad was so infuriating.

Sally knew about Annabeth to an extent. She knew that Percy had a really good friend named Anna, that he liked slightly more than he should. And, that she couldn't meet her because Percy was really good at making up excuses.

It wasn't that Percy didn't want his mother to meet Annabeth, it was just that his mother would become suspicious. She would want to meet her parents, and know where she lived. It was too risky.

Lucky for him, his mom had been distracted by a blessing, that was also known as Percy's English teacher. Paul Blofis.

Mr. Blofis was a really cool guy, and Percy was happy that he made his mom happy. And, was a good distraction to the teenager's secrets.

At first, Percy was a little uncomfortable with the whole teacher/mother dating thing. But, Paul had always been really understanding and helpful about his dyslexia. He was glad that out of all his teachers, Mr. Blofis was the one his mom picked.

With his mom happy and distracted, he was completely aligned to help Annabeth in any way he could. Her secret was safe.

Ω

**This is short, and boring. I know. I'm sorry. But, things get _better_ next chapter. At least they've both admitted to liking each other. That's got to count for something, right? And, I _promise_ next chapter will be better. Yay! Well, Thank you for reading. Ask questions if you got'em. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**To the guest named J Garret: Yes, so far there is only one other person's POV. It's Chapter 11. (The chapter itself is trash. Only a little over a thousand words. But it was needed.) After that, I don't think it's anyone else, but Percy and Annabeth. I'm not sure yet. (I'm only on Chap. 18 right now.) Thanks for the question!**

**PS: I'm really happy because Falling for the Devil was updated last night, and my brain is still a grinning pile of mush.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_It hit him then, that Annabeth wanted this as much as he did. She wasn't fighting for herself, she was fighting for him..._**"**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Ten**

Annabeth walked into school, on a chilly Thursday morning in January. Immediately, she spotted Percy hanging in his usual spot by her locker.

She smiled as she stepped up behind him, "Good morning, Percy."

He turned around, and grinned back at her, "It's not a good morning, if you're forced to be at school."

Smacking his arm lightly, "You should appreciate school! You don't what it's like to _not be able_ to go."

His lips pushed out in a purse, that looked totally adorable on his face, "I never thought of it that way. I don't mean to sound callous, but not going to school sounds good to me."

She couldn't keep the smile off of her face, he was just so open and carefree about his thoughts. He continued talking, "Is that how it used to be for you? You couldn't go to school?"

Annabeth didn't want to lead their conversation into the direction of her past, but she was technically the one who brought it up. "Yeah. You could say that. At least I found a way to enroll here without any hassle."

He raised an eyebrow, questioningly, "How did you manage that?"

"Sympathetic secretary ladies?"

His face morphed into something incredulous, "You can tell the front-desk ladies about you, and you can't tell me?!"

"Yeah. But, it was necessary," she said, rolling her eyes.

His sea-green eyes held emotion in them. He seemed actually hurt that she had told another person that wasn't him. No matter how irrelevant those people may be. "Percy, like I've told you before. I want to talk about it. I desperately do. But, I care more about you than to do that."

"Sometimes I feel like you don't trust me."

"It's not about trust," she defended. "Because I do. Trust you, I mean."

"Then why haven't I even been inside your house? I know very little about you, other than what I can learn by being your friend. I'm open to you; you know you can ask me anything. But, I can't do the same to you," Percy countered. His eyes never left hers once, showing her how serious he was. He truly meant what he was saying.

"Why would you need to know any thing else? Isn't this enough? Being friends," she tried.

"Being your friend _is_ enough, but when you hide things... It's like I'm not important to you. I ask for very little, Annabeth. I'd just like some answers. It's hard to watch you struggle," he pleaded with her, whispering the last sentence with a grimace.

Annabeth took a few moments to think over what she was about to do. Percy made a good argument. She had to give him something to hold him over, until she left. Not that she knew when she would be going.

He had said something about never being in her house. She didn't want him to go in because he'd go all over-protective like he usually does. And, that just couldn't happen. But, if she made him promise not to freak out, maybe she could do this for him.

Meeting his beautiful, deep eyes, she breathed, "I can't give you the answers to most of your questions. But, if you promise me something, I can give you something in return."

His hands moved in a gesture that said, 'go on.' He looked some-what suspicious.

"If you promise to behave yourself, you can come over after school today," she proposed, with a serious look that was shattered by Percy's lop-sided grin.

"Yes! A thousand times, yes! I swear, I'll be good," his face was jubilant, and it looked like he was ready to start jumping up and down.

She pushed a hand through his hair, and ruffled it, "Don't get your hopes up. It's nothing special."

"Are you kidding? This is entirely something special. You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you so much." Quick as a flash, he lifted her up into a tight hug, and spun her around.

"Percy! Put me down!" she pounded on his shoulders with her fists. But, in all honesty, she wasn't sure if she actually wanted him to release her.

He gently set her down on the hallway floor. Girls were staring with wide-eyes, and completely miffed expressions. Annabeth could count a decent number of girls with clenched fists, that had just watched the exchange between herself and Percy. She smirked smugly.

"Let's get to Chem. Mr. Birdie won't tolerate our tardiness, again," her best friend pointed out.

"Why are we always late to that class?" Annabeth asked, exasperatedly. "It's not like we do it on purpose."

"It's because Chemistry class happens to coincide with morning friendship time..." he said with a chuckle, as he started off towards the class. "You coming, or are you just gonna stand there and gawk all day?" he turned around to look at her, smile on his face.

Annabeth only then realized she had been staring at Percy for an unhealthy amount of time, and quickly followed after him. Flicking his temple as she reached him. "I was _not_ gawking," she muttered.

He just glanced at her from the corner of his eye, smile still stretching his features, "Mhmm."

Ω

Percy was thrilled.

Annabeth had invited him over to her house. Normally, friends wouldn't get as excited about something as trivial as this. But, after close to a month of only getting as far as the driveway, Percy felt like he could do a cartwheel.

After the last bell rang, he raced out of his classroom to Annabeth's U.S. history class. Just as he burst into the Social Studies hallway, he saw the familiar head of golden blonde curls stepping out of the classroom with Reyna by her side.

She hadn't seen him yet, as she headed toward her locker. Percy's face broke into a smirk, as an idea drifted through his head.

Quietly, he walked up behind her. If he was a smart kid, he'd have learned his lesson from the first time he caught her by surprise, when she threw him on the ground. But, he made no arguments that he was a smart kid. So, he tackled her in a hug from behind.

Almost instantly, Annabeth was kicking and punching. Reyna, beside her shook her head in mock-disapproval. But, she couldn't hide the amused smile that bloomed upon her face.

Percy held her as still as he could – he'd never admit it to her, but she was _strong_. He whispered in her ear, "Is there a problem?" She could probably hear the smirk in his voice.

At hearing the familiar voice of her best friend, her body stilled right away. "Percy! You ass!" She pushed out of his arms, and turned around to glare at him.

Her gray eyes burned into his retinas. He just laughed at her expression, he had already gotten used to her intimidating gaze. "I would say I'm sorry... But, that's just not the truth."

She punched him in the shoulder, and he had to suppress a wince. Her right hook was impressive. "God, what's wrong with you? You fucking scared me." She looked more relieved than angry, so Percy didn't feel too bad about her comment.

"Aw...I'm still not sorry, Henry." he fake-pouted. Annabeth gave him a confused look at the name, but seemed to just realize that Reyna was still standing, and watching.

"Reyna! Why didn't you stop him? Is there no justice?" she demanded.

The girl just chuckled, "You were perfectly safe in his strong, and willing arms." Reyna winked at the two, before walking off into the crowd.

The two teenagers were equally pink-faced. "You know, you don't have to be such a _guy_ all the time," Annabeth remarked with a huff.

Percy gave her an amused look, "Do I even want to know what that means?" He couldn't help but notice how utterly cute she was when she's angry.

"Guys never think before acting," she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

He thought about it for a second, before shrugging it off. He never understood Annabeth, anyway. "So, you ready to go?" the boy asked enthusiastically.

"I don't know, Percy. Can you control yourself?" she still seemed miffed. Her arms were crossed against her chest, and her lips formed a pout.

He wrapped his arms around her small frame in a gentle hug, this time. "I'm sorry. I was stupid. What else is new?"

Annabeth desperately tried to hide her smile, but it was a feeble attempt. The corner of her lips twitched up. Percy internally smirked in triumph. He was off the hook...this time.

"Let's just go, okay?" the blonde offered.

…

Twenty minutes later, Percy and Annabeth were sitting in his Jeep outside of the abandoned house. "You ready?" she asked him, studying his reaction.

He turned and smiled at her, "How could I not be?"

She rolled her eyes, but offered a smile, "Stop answering my questions with questions. You always do that."

"Well, why not?" he smirked.

Giving him a dry look, she opened the door and gestured for him to follow her.

Hastily, he pushed the car open, and got out. His face was calm on the outside, not displaying his true emotions. He was beyond excited.

Annabeth was already on the porch, waiting for him to catch up. When he reached the steps, she pushed open the heavy wooden door. He followed her inside.

His eyes roamed around the room, taking in every detail. They were in some kind of foyer. She turned to him, "So, yeah... You want a tour?"

After nodding, she proceeded to walk him through an old archway. It led to a sort of living room. All the furniture was covered in plastic sheets, and tarps. Dust blanketed everything in sight; the place was a dump. But, Annabeth's smile showed that she was proud to have attained such a place. That made the house just a little bit brighter.

"This is the living room. I don't use it much, honestly," she told him while picking at one of the plastic sheets.

"It's...homey?" he added unhelpfully.

Luckily, she wasn't offended, as she laughed and continued into the next room. They arrived in a kitchen. The walls were painted a yellow, that he assumed one day had been bright. The cabinets were white, and chipping. Counters were covered with random nick-knacks and canned food.

"Kitchen," she said dismissively, ready to go on to the next room.

He held up a hand and stopped, "Wait. Do all the appliances actually work?"

She thought about it, and nodded, "Yeah. Pretty much."

His eyebrows shot up. "Hmm," he said, approvingly.

Annabeth chuckled, and wandered into the next doorway. Coming in behind her, he saw that they were in a hallway again. Though this time, a staircase took up most of the space.

Examining the stairs, his eyes bulged out, "That cannot be safe!"

The steps were broken and split. Pointy wood shards poked out from various spots among it. There was very little chance someone without some serious skills could climb those stairs.

The girl laughed at his expression. "I haven't tried to go up there, yet."

"I wonder what happened..." he tilted his head to the side in thought.

Annabeth's eyes narrowed on the staircase, "You know, I've never actually thought about it."

He raised his eyebrows again, "Really?"

She shook her head dismissively, "It fit in with the image so well, that I never questioned it."

Her legs began moving down the hall until she stopped at a door. Percy looked in to see a surprisingly well-kept room. "This is where I sleep..." she wrinkled her nose. "Sorry, I'm not very good at giving tours.

He chuckled, and squeezed her shoulder, walking past her into the bedroom. "I think you're doing great." Percy was just happy that he was finally seeing a part of her, that he couldn't before. (And, that no one else had seen.)

The room was big, and had a queen-sized bed lying in the middle of it. Fortunately, the blankets were thick, because the house was seriously cold. Annabeth didn't seem fazed by the temperature, and as he thought about it, he guessed that she would have to be used to it by now. A wave of sympathy washed over him. While he'd been eating his mother's cooking in a warm home, she was sitting in this ice box, nibbling on canned peas.

The room smelled of heavy perfumes, that were soaked into the fabrics from the previous owners. He walked over to the bed, and plopped down onto it. As he suspected, he sunk into the fluffy material. He let out a sigh of content, and could hear Annabeth laughing from across the room.

His head lifted up, as he rested on his elbows. "Surprisingly comfortable for an abandoned place."

Annabeth nodded, while smiling and followed him onto the bed. The mattress sunk slightly as she sat next to him.

Now was not a good time for Percy to be having thoughts of other situations he could be in bed with Annabeth. He mentally scolded himself for being such a perv. But, it wasn't his fault that his beautiful friend/crush left very little space between the two.

Shaking his head to dispel his R-rated thoughts, he straightened up, so that they were level. "I'm gonna be honest," he started. "It's pretty cool that you have your own house."

The blonde girl answered by smiling at him. She bumped his shoulder with her own, "Are you happy I finally let you come in?"

He nodded his head and grabbed her hand in his own. His own hands began to play with her fingers as she kept talking. "I hope you can see this as my way of saying that I trust and appreciate you. And, that you're important to me."

Her unoccupied hand came up to his chin, and pulled his face to look at hers. He hadn't realized she was this close. The two's noses were almost touching. Her hair smelled of lemons; it was intoxicating. Their eyes met, gray on green, and she asked softly, "You do know that, right?"

Percy wasn't sure what possessed him to do it. It could have been the proximity and lemony scent. Or maybe the way her tone was so full of raw feeling. Hell, it could have just been because he was tired of the temptation.

He kissed her.

She was shocked to say the least, and he couldn't blame her. He didn't know he was going to do it either. Annabeth was still for only a few seconds, before she kissed him back. And, it was a glorious feeling.

Her soft lips moved against his hesitantly at first, but soon, she was giving as much passion as him. He was in his own kind of paradise, where the only thing that existed was Annabeth's lips, and body pressed into his.

His hands came up to cup Annabeth's face tenderly, explaining how much he didn't want her to move away.

She responded by delicately gripping the wrists of his hands that were placed on her cheeks. Until they traveled down his arms to his chest, where she planted them.

Percy thought his brain might melt in his head, and run straight out his ears. Annabeth had such an affect on him, that it was probably unhealthy. But, she was like a drug to him. He simply couldn't get enough.

She began to nibble lightly on his bottom lip, and it took all he had to quiet the moans threatening to spill from his mouth. Her hands fisted the fabric of his jacket tightly.

All to abruptly, Annabeth pulled away.

The teenage boy, looked at her questioningly, and couldn't hide the little bit of rejection he felt.

She hadn't released his shirt, yet, but Percy's hands dropped from her face, to her hips. Her forehead dropped onto his, in an affectionate way. She mumbled, "We shouldn't be doing this."

His nose nudged hers, "Why not?"

Annabeth took in a shaky breath, "I can't lead you on like this, Percy. I won't do that to you."

He took her hands in his, squeezed them, then brought the tangled fists close to his chest. "Why is this leading me on?"

She shook her head the tiniest bit, "I can't be in a relationship. In my situation, it's just impossible."

He was relieved that she didn't say anything about not feeling the same way, and that was all he needed for a new kick of confidence to spring in. "How is it any different than being friends? It's just a label. Being in a relationship, I mean."

She closed her eyes, and seemed to consider something. She resolved and looked at him deeply. "Perce, you know that I'm being stalked. I'm not safe. If I get caught here – which is inevitable, by the way – I'm leaving at a moment's notice. And, you probably won't ever see me again."

His heart clenched tightly at her words. He wouldn't let that happen. No matter what. "Annabeth, please," he begged. "Give me a chance."

"Do you really want to face that kind of heartbreak? If I left in the dead of night, and you had no idea where I was, or where I was going, could you handle that? Is this kind of a relationship enough for you?" she questioned, with barely concealed emotion in her eyes. He could tell that it was killing her to say the things she was. It hit him then, that Annabeth wanted this as much as he did. She wasn't fighting for herself, she was fighting for him.

Although he could never truly let her go – he knew he couldn't ever stop searching for her, if she had to run again – he told her what he honestly felt, "You are what I want, Annabeth. Everything and anything you have to offer is enough for me. Whether that be for two minutes, or two months. You're worth it for me."

Her answer was something that Percy associated close to Heaven. She crushed his lips with hers, in a fervor he had never known before. The affection he felt towards her was not hidden, as he released her hands that he had been holding, to push them through her golden locks. "Stay with me," he muttered against her lips, sounding husky and deep.

Her voice was soft and vulnerable, as she whispered back, "Okay."

Ω

**Percabeth! Woohoo! I've waited so long for this chapter, I hope I captured it right! If not, well, you let me know. Thank you for reading, It means a bunch to me. You know the drill. Questions – Ask them. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**I'm not gonna lie. Chapter Eleven will suck. If you guys totally try to kill me, I _might_ post Chapter Twelve later the same day. I just couldn't find any other way around it. And, it was totally short, because I hated every minute of writing in another person's P.O.V. (She's my OC. Her name is Hannah. You might remember her as the nameless hooker from Chapter Three.)**

**P.S. I broke my skateboard, so I'm at a falter as to what I'm supposed to do with my life now.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Anna Henry's face was printed onto the paper. The poster read information all lining up to match the girlfriend of Percy Jackson..._**"**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

_**Chapter 12 will be posted later tonight, so stay tuned!**_

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Eleven**

Hannah Jenkins watched as Percy Jackson walked hand-in-hand with the blonde girl, into the school. Mouths dropped, and girls growled, as they made their way down the hallway, together.

The blonde, Anna, if she remembered correctly was blushing furiously at all of the attention. While, Percy Jackson held his head high, with a look of utter satisfaction scrawled across his features.

She felt bitter jealousy course through her veins. _When the fuck did these two start going out?_ The couple had been close for the past few weeks, but no one thought there was anything romantic going on.

Her straight espresso colored hair was lifted into a flawless pony-tail, and she was wearing a tight, red shirt. Hannah's blue eyes narrowed slightly in Anna's direction, as she examined her.

_Of course,_ the girl was gifted with a killer body and perfectly curled blonde hair. She was wearing a brown leather jacket, and leggings that did wonders for the girls taut bottom.

Hannah had tried asking Percy out on Anna's first day at school. He rejected her due to his hockey practice, with a promise that he'd get back to her. Hannah had been waiting for Percy to make good on that promise, but he had yet to approach her.

_No wonder_, she thought angrily, _It was Anna's fault, that Percy was distracted from me._

Girls all along the corridor gawked openly at the new couple. Some were muttering curses under their breath, while most clenched their fists and glared at the blonde.

Percy Jackson, held one of her hands to his chest, and kissed the top knuckles. Hannah could hear sighs of longing around the hallway like some kind of record player.

She didn't understand why Percy chose this girl. Out of every girl in the school, he chose the mysterious, new girl, that was more brains than personality.

Hannah scoffed, thinking that herself would be much closer matched to Percy Jackson.

Looking down to the notebook in her hands, she saw a name inscribed across the cover at least a hundred times. _Mrs. Hannah Jean Jackson._

With the blonde girlfriend in the way, that name would never match to her identity. She clenched her teeth and shoved the notebook back into her bag.

Something happened at that moment. Something that made every soul in that corridor stop and stare. Too many emotions flew around the room, to choose just one. There was sorrow, anger, distaste, hopelessness, and jealousy. _Oh_, was their jealousy.

Percy Jackson kissed Anna right on her lips. Not parting for at least three minutes. Anyone could see his pink tongue leaving his own mouth and entering his girlfriend's. The exchange was burned into Hannah's retinas, and she was seeing red.

She made a decision, right then and there. She would get Percy Jackson. Whatever it took. She would get him in her bed.

…

Two hours later, Hannah could be found in the boy's locker during Percy's gym period. The boys had already left for class. They were outside, practicing football.

She maneuvered her way through the rows of lockers, until she spotted a familiar blue backpack, with messy handwriting that read _Percy J. :). _It was leaning up against a locker, and was half open.

Digging through it, she looked for something that could give her insight to what Percy was interested in. _Other than nerdy blondes and hockey_, she added in her head. She was looking for something – a picture of his mom, or an iPod with his favorite music on it.

Her hand hit many hard things, but most just felt like books and folders. She pulled out a couple of loose papers, but only saw random math homework, and notes on the system of checks and balances.

Sighing, she leaned back on her knees, and opened the front pockets. She wasn't finding anything useful, and it was damn frustrating. Hearing a dry crackle from underneath her fingers, she pulled out another piece of paper. She was about to toss it back into his bag, when something caught her eye.

Bright red letters, against crinkled, faded paper. _MISSING, _it said. Her eyes did something close to molest the paper, in interest. A conniving smirk stretched onto her face.

Anna Henry's face was printed onto the paper. The poster read information all lining up to match the girlfriend of Percy Jackson.

Except for the name, _Annabeth Chase_.

Why would Percy have this? He knew his girlfriend was supposedly missing, and he hadn't reported her? Well, obviously she just gave it to him for attention. That was surely why Percy was dating her. It was because he felt bad for her. That made sense. No wonder why he didn't have time for Hannah Jenkins; he was spending all his time feeling bad for Anna Henry – or Annabeth Chase.

Standing up, she was grinning at the paper. She was about to stuff it in her back pack and leave, when a voice jarred her out of her thoughts.

"Uh, what are you doing in here?"

She turned around quickly, her hands behind her back, to see Percy Jackson studying her. His body was sweaty, and glistening. His hair was ruffled up. Biceps could be seen peeking out of his thin gym t-shirt. Abdominal muscles were tight pressed against the material. Her eyes drifted down to his groin – she couldn't help it. The soft material of the school's gym pants were filled out nicely. She didn't care that she eye-raped him. He looked incredibly sexy.

Quickly, she pushed her chest out, and popped her hips back. She jutted out her chin and spoke, "I was looking for...Reese Warner. Is he in here?" She thought of someone as fast as she could.

Percy was looking at her like she was crazy. "He's outside for class. Where he should be. Was it really that important that you had to invade an empty locker room?" he asked with slight annoyance in his tone. He was probably just annoyed that she hadn't been looking for him. _How cute_.

She jammed the crumpled paper in her back pocket, and walked closer to him. "What are _you_ doing in here, when you should be in class?"

He scoffed, "Not that it's any of your business, but I was getting my mouth guard that I left in my locker." He pointed to the locker that his bag was leaned up against.

Hannah nodded, her pony-tail bouncing with the movement. "Well, I better be getting to class. It was nice talking to you," she winked, walking past him, purposefully brushing her shoulder across his hard chest.

His nose wrinkled in disgust, probably because she didn't have time to continue touching his body. _How cute._

…

Hannah was back in her house at four o'clock in the afternoon. She retreated to her bedroom, ignoring her younger brother's happy greeting. He was _such_ a pain.

Slamming the door in his disappointed face, she flopped on her bed.

Retrieving the ball of paper from her back pocket, she studied it carefully.

On the bottom was a phone number that led to the person looking for stupid Annabeth Chase. Who would want to get her back, anyway? Whatever, good riddance.

She picked up her cell phone and carefully dialed in the number. Double-checking that she typed the right number, she pressed the green 'call' button, when she deemed it correct.

The phone rang four times before someone picked up. In a hard and low voice, the person answered.

"Hello, this is Octavian speaking."

Ω

**Sort of a Cliffhanger. Not really. I think we all saw that one coming.**

**I know this is beyond short (1,300 words), but I couldn't stand writing this girl. (Next chapter is over 3,500 words, though. And, let me tell you. Shit. Goes. Down.) I just want to get back to the Percabeth, ya know? So, Annabeth was right when she guessed that Octavian had put up the posters. Poop. **

**Anyway, Thank you for reading. Ask questions, if you are confused. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**Does anybody want to smite me for the fact that I hadn't even picked up The Lightning Thief, until weeks after House of Hades came out? Yeah, I was just wandering through my library – bored as fuck, might I add. I saw it, and was like, "I think they made a movie from this book..." And, my life was a goner from there. The library only had the first three books, so I bought the rest to read them. I now own all the books (so far, can't wait of BoO) and I'm kinda obsessed with Percabeth fanfiction.**

**So, Yup. Smite me.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_She let out a shaky breath, and looked up into the eyes of the boy, who's life she just ruined. __'__This is the most selfish thing I __will ever do__.__'_**"**

_**Keep an eye out for Chapter 12 tonight!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Heroes of Olympus series, or the song Stubborn Love. All rights go to those deserving.**

_**If you didn't read Chapter 11 yet, it was put up earlier today. Please, make sure you read that one first! This is a treat to you beautiful-souled people. Thank you for being so supportive.**_

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twelve**

It had been a week since the day Annabeth agreed to date Percy. And, that week was the happiest she'd been, in what felt like forever.

She had been in this town for a little under a month and a half. It was comforting to know that her plan had been working. Octavian hadn't found her yet.

But, when she woke up that morning, she felt really unnerved. Something deep in her _being_ was trying to warn her of upcoming danger.

She hadn't a clue as to why she should be on guard, so she promptly ignored the feeling.

After getting ready, she heard the familiar honk of a Jeep outside her house. She shuffled outside into the cool and dry air, looking up, she sees angry dark clouds undulating around the sky.

Percy was waiting in the car, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel along to the song _Stubborn Love_ by The Lumineers. His black hair was messy and looked really hot. She opened the door to the passenger seat, as he sung as loud as his lungs could possibly handle. "_It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all!_"

"You're such a goof, Perce," she chuckled as she settled into the seat.

Percy reached over the console and kissed his girlfriend's cheek, "Good morning."

"Hi," she said, pulling his face back, to rightfully kiss his mouth. He snickered onto her lips.

…

Walking through the hallways, Annabeth was getting used to the feeling of being uncomfortable. Throngs of girls glared at her, and some yelled insults at her (when Percy wasn't around.)

It was weird being the girlfriend of the most desired guy at school. She was constantly under scrutiny, and had to undergo jealous revenge. It's not that Percy wasn't worth it, because he was. It just got frustrating sometimes, like when her gym clothes were stolen. That sucked.

As she padded down the corridor, she felt Percy's hand give hers a light squeeze. He seemed to understand exactly how Annabeth was feeling at the time, and trying to give his support – which she was grateful for. It's just what she needed. He was always making things better.

She briefly wondered if her bad feeling from this morning had anything to do with Percy's fan girls. It would make sense.

…

Annabeth made it through the school day unscathed. But, there was still a nagging feeling in the back of her mind, that told her she wasn't done yet.

Percy drove her back to the house. When he pulled into the driveway, she sat still for a few seconds, examining the place.

"Something wrong?" Percy questioned, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion.

She shrugged her shoulders, but her gaze didn't leave the house. Something didn't feel right about it. Her nerves were going crazy, and she felt like a thousand bolts of electricity could be arcing through her at the moment; she was so high strung. In her head, words were being screamed. "_May Day, May Day_!" and "_Warning_!"

The blonde felt her boyfriend's hand settle on her shoulder. She finally turned to meet his eyes, and she could see the concern they held. "What's going on, Annabeth?"

Sighing, she grabbed the hand that was on her shoulder, and began playing with his fingers. "I don't know. I have a bad feeling about going in there."

Percy immediately sat up straighter, and his eyes were on red-alert, "What do you mean?"

"It's nothing, really. I just woke up this morning, on edge. In the back of my mind, I keep feeling like something's going to go wrong. And, when we pulled up here, that feeling just got a lot stronger."

Her boyfriend took in every word she had to say, his eyes not leaving hers until he tried to study the house. "I'll go in with you."

"No!" she exclaimed, instantly.

"And, why not?" He gave her a hard look that said she probably wouldn't be winning this one.

"Because, if it's not safe for me, what makes you think it'll be safe for you?" she countered, knowing her attempt was futile.

Percy looked at her like she was crazy. He brought their tangled hands up into her view. "If there's any reason to believe it's not safe for you in there, then you can't keep me from coming in with you. We're in this together."

She pulled away, and started toward the house warily, and much to her frustration, heard Percy's loud footsteps behind her.

If he gets hurt because of her, she'll kill him.

Percy stepped in front of her as they reached the front door. If she hadn't been so focused on her increasing heart rate, and feeling of utter dread, she would have flicked him for being such a _guy._

He opened the door hesitantly, and as soon as Annabeth passed over the threshold, she knew something was up.

"Something's wrong," she muttered, walking past him, into the kitchen.

Percy followed after her glancing around, studying for a potential threat. "What is it?"

Annabeth had been staring all over her kitchen. She felt something twist in her gut; she knew it was fear. Red flags went up as she studied the misplaced items. The curtains were opened. A box of crackers had been torn open, and left on the table. The air even still vaguely smelled of a familiar cologne. Something was _definitely_ wrong.

Quickly, she ran to her bedroom. Examining this room brought the same feeling of panic. Her bed was unmade. The drawers of her dresser were open.

Shit.

She started ripping through her things, stuffing everything she could fit into her back pack. Percy came racing down the hall after her. He tried to ask what was wrong, but she just ignored the worried look on his face, and pushed past him to the bathroom.

She crammed her soap into her already stuffed bag. Her heart was beating faster than she thought possible, and she could feel tears welling in her eyes.

He was back.

He found her.

Percy flung the door open to the bathroom, and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Annabeth! Tell me what's going on!" His face was crazed, and he was scared.

She whispered almost inaudibly, "Someone's been in here."

"What?" he asked. "How do you know?"

She glanced around the bathroom. He'd been in here as well. The shower curtain was pulled back. The light was left on; she remembered flicking the switch off this morning. She took a deep breath before responding. Her body was shaking, and Percy could feel it. "I can just tell." Percy would never understand her analysis of the house. Only she knew how things worked around here, and how something had disrupted it. Especially with her crazy feelings this morning.

"Okay, it was probably just some random straggler. Or neighbor. They're gone now. Why are you packing your things? You are freaking me out, here," Her boyfriend confessed, searching her face for answers. His eyes were wide, and alert.

"No, Percy. It wasn't. He found me. The one who's searching for me. I don't know where he is now, but I can feel it. He's been here, and if I want any chance of escaping, I need to leave now," she told him. Her voice was weak, and vulnerable. He could see how scared she was.

She had been in this situation enough times, to know that time was of the essence. She had to hurry. The first thing on her mind, was to get out of the damn house. Octavian could be hiding in a closet, or something.

Setting his jaw, he answered, "I'm not gonna let him touch you, Annabeth." He sounded firm, and confident. Like, he truly believed what he was saying. Even though he had no clue who 'he' was. He rubbed her cheek lightly with his thumb, while his other hand moved her stray curls behind her ear, "I'm gonna keep you safe."

By now, the tears had started to fall down her face in wet tracks. She shook her head no, "It's too late... I'm sorry, but I have to go." She moved his hand from her cheek, and kissed his palm. "_I'm so sorry__,_" she whispered, through her teary haze.

He roughly tore his hand away, and placed both of them on the sides of her head, cupping her face. "No! Listen to me, Annabeth. This is not goodbye. We're not separating."

"Percy, I told you this would happen! I told you! I'm sorry that it has to end like this."

Her boyfriend stared deep into her eyes for a few seconds, his own orbs set in a new-found determination. "I'm coming with you."

She pulled away from him, "Absolutely not."

"You can't tell me, 'no.' I've already decided. Let's just drop by my mom's real quick to leave a note, and grab some clothes for me." He told her confidently.

"No! Percy, think about your mom! You can't leave her. You don't know what you're getting yourself into. This isn't some little field trip away for a couple of days. I'm a _runaway_." She stressed. There was no way she was going to let that stupid Seaweed Brain come along. This was much too dangerous.

Percy stepped forward, backing her into the corner of the bathroom. "Annabeth Chase. I'm not – under any circumstances – letting you do this on your own. You are just going to have to deal with your clingy boyfriend tagging along."

"Do you think this is a joke?" she yelled at him. "I won't let you do this for me! You're too important! I've been doing this alone since the start, I can handle myself. You're not going to give up everything for me, Perseus Jackson! I won't allow it!" She was sobbing horribly. But, Percy didn't even look resolved. He stepped impossibly closer. His hands fisted her blonde curls, and he pulled her face into his.

He kissed her deeply – showing the emotion he felt. His determination, and passion rattling in her skull. And, at that point, Annabeth knew there was no stopping him. He was going to win this fight.

Pulling back for air, he muttered against her lips, "If you think you can get rid of me, you are sadly mistaken. Instead of wasting time arguing, let's get in the Jeep, and drive to my mom's place to pack a bag for me."

She let out a shaky breath, and looked up into the eyes of the boy, who's life she just ruined. "This is the most selfish thing I will ever do."

"Don't you dare say that. We need each other. There's nothing more to it."

With that said, he grabbed her pack off the floor, and pulled her by the hand into the Jeep. As they were reversing out of the driveway, they could hear a crash from the back of the house. It sounded like a window shattering.

Percy drove so far above the speed limit after that, Annabeth thought they might break the sound barrier. In less than five minutes, the car was parked in front of a three-story, white, Victorian house. She stayed in the car, as Percy ran inside.

Sitting in the car by herself, she felt like she might throw up. She would never forgive herself for letting Percy do this. This was exactly what she was always afraid of. This is why she didn't let anyone get involved. Percy got dragged into this, worse than he ever could have.

He was out in under three minutes, with a hastily packed bag, and a bulging..._sock_ in his hand.

He clambered in the car, threw his stuff into the backseat, and was immediately flying down the roads, not even bothering with his seat belt. "What's with the sock?" she asked, watching him swerve around slower moving vehicles. Luckily, it was dark by now, and not many people were out driving. Percy's mother had still been at work when he left.

"It's got my life savings," he answered, turning onto the highway.

_His life savings in a dirty gym sock,_ she thought. She didn't question it, because hers was currently doing no better in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.

"Where are we going?" Annabeth spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"I'm not sure. Just away from here."

She looked at him sadly, and reached for his hand. He immediately grasped hers, the other one driving. "I'm so sorry, Percy."

He didn't say anything at first, and she thought it was because he was accepting the fact that she messed up. But, he spoke a few minutes later, and said something that made her heart clench. "Annabeth, do you realize that you're apologizing for _him_? Because, none of this is your fault. Not a damn thing."

His eyes turned off the highway onto hers, and he slowed the car to the proper speed limit. "I won't let you take the blame for what that bastard's doing to your life."

She moved her head to look out the window, and tried to forget what he just said. "We can't keep using the car," she murmured. "It can easily be tracked, and recognized. Especially when your mom calls the police, and you become a missing person. They'll be looking for your car specifically."

"What do you suppose we do with it?" he inquired.

She was surprised he didn't fight having to give up his car. She felt guilty about making him lose it. So, she proposed a different idea. "We could leave it hidden somewhere, and then claim it at a better time in the future. But until then, we should be taking buses and trains."

"Okay," he affirmed. "But, I have a question."

She acknowledged him with a hum. It's not like she had to hide anything from him anymore. He continued, "You said we can't use the car, because the police will track us. Why can't we call the police and have them help us?"

It was a good question. He probably had no idea about half the things she was making them do. She owed him answers.

"_His_ dad is an NYPD cop. Calling them brings me closer to _him_."

Percy nodded in understanding, before hesitantly asking the next question, "Who is he?"

She knew he was watching her reaction, so she kept her face impassive. He should feel comfortable asking her anything, now that she could answer him. She took a deep breath, and returned her gaze to the passing world outside the window.

"My ex-boyfriend."

The car swerved to the right, as Percy lost control of the steering. The tires screeched, but he managed to get them back on track. "What?!"

She would have laughed at his reaction, had the situation not been so serious.

"His name is Octavian." Her voice was flat, and showed no emotion.

"Why is your ex tracking you down?" he demanded, angrily. Now, was not the time to think how cute Percy was when he's jealous, but _Oh well._

"When I left him, he freaked out and tried to get me to stay with him. He tried to lock me in his house after I refused, but I escaped. He's been following me ever since then."

Percy's face took on a look of shock. "_God_," he mumbled. "I mean, I get that he's crazy now, but is that why you broke up with him in the first place?"

Annabeth lightly shook her head, "No, I just realized that I never really loved him, and that I was wasting both of our times by staying with him."

"And, he didn't take that well..?" Percy's eyes were on the road, but Annabeth knew he was listening with every fiber in his being.

"Not at all. He stabbed me," she replied calmly.

Being ten o'clock in the evening, there was no other car in sight on the lonely road. This was fortunate when Percy brought the car to an abrupt stop. Both teenagers jerked in their seats, and Annabeth's head whipped around to stare questioningly at Percy, while his face held hundreds of emotions. Angry shock being the most dominant.

He searched her face for signs, that she had been telling a sick joke. When he found none, he shouted, "_What?!_"

She had never told anyone before. Since she had become so used to the fact, she didn't really plan of his reaction. "Uh, it was just my thigh. Didn't hit anything important."

Deadly calm, Percy straightened in his seat. He stressed every word when he growled, "I'm going to fucking kill him."

She tried to ease the tension with a joke. "Get in line," she played lightly.

The corners of his mouth twitched up, and she knew she had succeeded. "Quit stopping the car, would you? Before I get out and start walking..." He smiled fully at her taunt, and pulled back onto the road.

"Why did he go so crazy after you broke up with him?"

Annabeth thought for a moment. She didn't know the exact answer, but she had her guesses. "I think it's because he was too attached to me. He couldn't bear the thought of me leaving him, I guess."

"Well, me neither, but you don't see me stabbing you in the leg, for not wanting me to go with you," he responded bitterly.

She sighed, "I made a mistake. I led him on. I didn't know that I wasn't truly in love him..." She paused before she added, "Don't stop the car, when I tell you this next part, Perce."

He gave her a dry look, but nodded anyway. He was invested in her story, that had taken so long for her to share.

"I slept with him. Because that was what everyone expected. We'd been dating for months. I didn't make the decision for myself; I just did it because I thought, I owed it to him. And, now I see my mistake. By doing that with him, he was starting to become obsessed with me. He was infatuated when I felt no where near the same way, and I had let us continue when I should have stopped it. I wasn't responsible enough with his feelings, and I think that might have been the main reason he went so bonkers."

Percy's hands were clenched on the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles were turning white. It must have been hard to continue driving straight, without swerving or stopping.

"You're making it sound like it's your fault again." Percy stated.

"I need to take some blame, Perce."

He was quiet for a minute, before he murmured in a quiet voice, "Annabeth, don't ever think your significant other is entitled to sex." He shook his head gently, "Me, Octavian, or anybody else. It's one hundred percent about when you're ready. When you love them, and want to share an intimate and special experience with them."

Annabeth's heart warmed at the words coming out of her boyfriend's mouth. Unshed tears swam in her eyes. She was doing a lot of crying that day. She tried to lean her head onto his shoulder. It was sort of uncomfortable at first because of the center console, but Percy pushed a button on the side of it, and it popped up. Revealing a small seat.

She shifted onto it, and properly rested her head on his shoulder. His right arm came around her shoulders, and he planted a kiss on top of her head, sweetly.

Curiosity expanded in her mind. Needing to know, she quietly asked him, "Was your first time special, Percy?"

Percy rubbed her right shoulder with his thumb. "I've never been with anyone that way," he confessed openly. He didn't seem embarrassed or shy, and for that she admired him. In all honesty, she had been preparing herself for red-hot jealousy. With all the influences at school, she would've thought he'd give into temptation at least once. She wouldn't blame him, if he did.

But, hearing that Percy had controlled himself, and resisted – she was thoroughly surprised. Showing her affection that had just grew for him, she snuggled deeper into his side.

Not really knowing what she was specifically referring to, Annabeth told him, "Thank you, Percy." Her voice was so quiet, she thought he hadn't even heard her. But, she was feeling so thankful at that moment. For everything he had done for her. Even if she was still a little angry that he forced himself to go with her, she was grateful to have somebody.(Though she'd never tell him that; he couldn't know that she was feeling almost happy that he basically just gave up everything for her.)

She had been feeling so alone these past few months of her life, and Percy was soothing the pain remarkably. He could be Annabeth's own version of, 'It gets better.'

Percy was quiet for a few seconds. She knew he heard her, because his hand gave her shoulder a squeeze, and he kissed her temple. But then, he responded softly, "For you, I'd do it again."

Ω

**If that was confusing, Percy said that last part, meaning he didn't regret anything he did for her. I apologize if this chapter is confusing, but you can always ask if it bothers you. Thank you for reading! Ask questions if you don't get something. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**A guest reviewed, saying they hoped Percy doesn't cheat on Annabeth.**

**SPOLIER ALERT.**

**He doesn't.**

**Let me tell you, that I do not have the strength to write Percy cheating. I would probably be sobbing, while hitting the backspace key so hard it would pop off.**

**(I ship Percabeth, unhealthily.)**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Annabeth was an empress among other women. She was beautiful, and __majestic__. __Selfless, and responsible. __Intelligent, and __Powerful..._**"**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Thirteen**

"I have an idea," Percy told his girlfriend, who was drifting off with her head on his shoulder.

She hummed in acknowledgment. "I think I know a place where we can leave my car."

Her head tilted up to look at him, "Where?"

"My friend, Beckendorf, he owns a mechanic's garage. He'll let us keep it there."

Annabeth looked skeptical, "We can't let people know about us. He could call the cops, or your mother."

Percy shook his head, "He's my friend, I said. He wouldn't do that, if I asked him not to."

"Are you sure? I've never had friends while I was on the run. What if he's worried about you, and calls?" She asked sadly.

"Of course, he'll be worried. But, he'll trust my judgment. He knows that I do the right thing," he declared.

The blonde sighed and looked away. She obviously thought that he was doing the wrong thing by coming with her. But, he didn't believe that. He was more sure about this than he'd ever been about anything. They needed each other.

When he was in Annabeth's house last night, he was scared shitless, for lack of a better term. He thought that he wouldn't see her ever again, and he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let her deal with everything on her own anymore.

Seeing his girlfriend running around packing her bags, he thought he'd have a heart attack. He felt hurt at first, and then a white-hot determination burned his every nerve. He was adamant about staying with her.

What was the worst, was when she told him of her pursuer.

Her ex-boyfriend.

Oh, that got Percy angry.

He didn't know this Octavian dude, but he was ready to kill him. The guy _stabbed_ Annabeth. It didn't even seem real, it was just so mind-bogglingly crazy.

Percy would make sure the guy never touched Annabeth again. He would defend her with his life.

Thinking about the guy made his hands twitch, and his skin tingle. His body was preparing itself for beating the ever living shit out of him. He thought about how Annabeth had been with him intimately.

His heart clenched at the thought of her with another man. Especially one as fucked up as Octavian. She thought she owed him sex. That made Percy feel sick. _His_ Annabeth, convincing herself to sleep with Octavian, because the modern notions said it was time.

He would have thought she knew better. She didn't owe anyone, anything. Especially, that jackass Octavian.

Percy wanted to take Annabeth and wrap her up in a protective bubble. He wouldn't let her out to see the evils of the world, anymore. He wanted to take her to a different planet; keep her away from all the bad she had dealt with. Let her forget everything unpleasant. She deserved so much more than she had.

Annabeth was an empress among other women. She was beautiful, and majestic. Selfless, and responsible. Intelligent, and Powerful.

She had the power to turn Percy's life upside down. She was his drug. He needed her like he needed air. She had control over him, whether she knew it or not.

Looking down at the sleeping form of his girlfriend, he felt a rush of affection towards her. His right hand lazily played with one of her curls. He twisted his finger around the loose spiral of hair, as he thought of what was to come in the future. He was concerned he wouldn't be able to take care of her.

His car was headed in the direction of a town, a few cities over. Charles Beckendorf lived in the valley of Troy, New York. It was kind of a sketchy place, but it had the same old time-y feel as Percy's home town. Though, where Percy lived, the old, classic buildings were mostly taken care of. In Troy, all of the beautiful structures were neglected and falling apart.

It was dangerous to be driving around here in the middle of the night, but if he knew Beckendorf like he thought he did, then he'd still be working in the garage this late. The guy practically breathed auto mechanics.

Arriving on the street where he knew _Greek Fire Auto Mechanics_ was located, he started mentally preparing himself for convincing Beckendorf that he was sure about what he was doing.

Charles Beckendorf was his friend, sure. But, that meant that the guy would be concerned for Percy's well-being.

He wasn't nervous that his friend wouldn't help him, or that he'd report the two teenagers. He was nervous that someone would try to tell him he was making a mistake. Percy clearly knew that he wasn't. And, didn't want to worry his friend.

To his right, he could make out the neon green logo of his friend's garage. He smoothly pulled onto the lot, and parked in front. He left the keys in the ignition, and woke Annabeth up.

"Hey," he murmured. "We're here."

Her eyelids fluttered softly, and opened to reveal tired gray eyes. They were only confused and vulnerable for a moment, before she seemed to remember what was going on. Percy cherished those moments where Annabeth could forget.

"Oh wow," she spoke, her voice quiet. "We got here fast."

Percy nodded, and opened his door. He walked to the other side of the car and opened hers for her. Annabeth rolled her eyes at the gesture, but kissed his cheek anyway.

He stepped into the tiny lobby-office space connected to the work garages, Annabeth in tow. Looking on the front counter, he spotted a bell, and smirked.

His fist slammed the bell multiple times in an obnoxious way. Annabeth tried to pull his hand away, but he didn't budge. He laughed at her embarrassed expression. "I can't take him anywhere..." she muttered to herself.

A large African-American man stepped out of the back room, with a curious look on his face. Until he saw Percy, then his face morphed into recognition and amusement.

Beckendorf walked behind the counter to his friend still ringing the bell with a goofy grin spread across his face, and slapped him in the back of the head.

"Stop being annoying, you little turd," his deep voice resonated off the walls.

Annabeth laughed out loud at the jive, drawing the man's attention toward her, "Hello Miss. I take it you're here with Ringy McNoisy?"

Recovering from her fit of giggles, she put her hand out, "Anna."

As Beckendorf took her hand in a shake, and was about to introduce himself, Percy butted in. "-Beth."

Both people looked at him confusedly, so her clarified. "Her name is Annabeth," he gestured to his girlfriend. "We're about to tell him everything anyway," the boy defended as Annabeth shot him a warning look.

Beckendorf's face was nothing short of puzzled as he studied the two teenagers. "What are you talking about, Perce? Why are you guys here?" He added quickly, "Not that I mind..."

Percy's hand unconsciously moved to rub the back of his neck. "Well, uh, we're here for some help, I guess."

"Car help?" Charles' face was hopeful. He wasn't very good in social situations.

"Sort of," Percy affirmed. "Do you think you could hide the Jeep here, until we come back for it?"

The man obviously hadn't been expected that kind of request. "For how long? Are you going somewhere?"

"Uh, you could say that. And, I'm not really sure how long. Probably a while though," Percy answered, looking at his toes.

Beckendorf's eyebrows scrunched together, and he scratched his head, "You're being really cryptic, man."

"Oh, and do you mind not telling anyone that we were here, or you saw us?" the teenager added quickly, without thinking.

His friend stared at him with raised eyebrows, he took a seat on the counter, and sighed. "Alright, what's going on?"

Annabeth spoke for the first time in the conversation. "...Listen, Percy and I kind of left town, and are probably being chased by a variety of people. We just need you to help us hide the car, until it's safe for us to use it again."

Beckendorf stared at Annabeth for a few seconds before asking, "Are you shitting me?"

The girl looked him dead in the face, "I am not."

He turned to see Percy, silently asking if it was a joke. Percy shrugged, "It's true."

"Please," the blonde urged.

The black man shook his head disbelievingly. He was silent for a few minutes before speaking, "Of course, I'll help you out."

Percy breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you guys sure about this, though?" Beckendorf asked the two of them.

Both of them nodded. Percy began seriously, "Remember, we were never here. Even if it's my mom who asks. Don't tell anyone, anything."

Beckendorf affirmed with a nod, and Annabeth returned him with a hug. "Thank you so much."

He patted her head with a smile, "Don't mention it."

"So, the keys are in the ignition," Percy gestured toward the door. "Thanks man. I owe you big time." He smiled and pulled Beckendorf into a man-hug.

After the farewells, Annabeth and Percy grabbed their stuff from the car, and headed off towards the nearest bus station.

…

The couple stumbled onto the bus, in hopes that it would take them to a safer city than the one they were currently tromping through.

Percy took his girlfriend's hand and led her to the back of the bus. They sat down next to each other, and almost immediately, Annabeth's head fell onto his shoulder once again.

She was sitting on the inside of the seat, her gaze traveled to the window. As she looked out, she mumbled to herself something like, "Déjà vu..."

Percy's eyebrows scrunched, "What?"

She glanced back at him, "This reminds me of when I first got into town. When I took a train from Brooklyn."

It was weird having her finally tell him about her past, he'd admit. He imagined her a month ago, sitting on a train by herself, feeling scared and alone. It made him wince; he hated thinking of her like that.

He gave her a sad smile, and squeezed her hand. "It'll be better this time. I'm with you, and I'm not going anywhere."

Annabeth snuggled her nose into his neck, appreciatively. "You're too nice to me, you know." Her voice was muffled into his skin.

He just chuckled and leaned his head on top of hers. "Oh shut up, no I'm not."

She tried to suppress her smile, but he felt her lips pressing into the skin of his neck.

…

Half an hour later, the bus had stopped in the capital of New York. They had arrived in Albany. It was probably sometime around four in the morning, and Percy thought he might drop onto the middle of the street, if he couldn't sleep soon.

Annabeth was busy gawking at all the buildings she could spot. "Oh my God, Percy. I can see The Egg from here."

He looked around for such a building, but couldn't see any structure shaped like an egg. Seeing his struggle, Annabeth took his chin and turned it to the left. His eyes followed where she was pointing. "That one. You see the one with the curved sides? That's The Egg. It has two theaters inside!" she squealed excitedly.

Percy studied the famous 'egg.' "It looks more like a spaceship, if you ask me," his tired voice told her.

His girlfriend laughed at him, "C'mon, let's go somewhere for the night. It looks like you're about to pass out."

He mumbled shitty defences incoherently, but soon gave up, and let her lead him down the sidewalk.

After ten minutes, he was about to ask Annabeth to carry him the rest of the way, when she suddenly said, "Perfect."

She rushed them in the direction of a sketchy looking motel, and straight into the lobby. The clerk was a white-haired man, with a name tag that read, _Maurice_.

"Hello," Annabeth greeted politely.

The old man turned to her with a quirky smile, "What can I do for you kids?"

She gestured to Percy, "Can we please get a room for the night?"

Maurice nodded happily, and responded, "Of course! That'll be fifty bucks, please." He typed some things into his computer, and Percy pulled a roll of bills out of his trusty sock, before Annabeth could think to.

She pushed him, but still muttered a quiet, "Thanks."

The clerk accepted the money enthusiastically. "Room 8, you guys. Have a good night!" He handed Percy a key in return, and pointed to a hallway that led to the rooms.

Thanking the cheerful man, the couple set off down the hallway in search for room eight. Annabeth spotted it first, and jammed the key through the slot, and twisted the lock. She jerked the sticky door open, and entered the room.

Percy followed her into the dimly lit suite. The room smelled of cheap air freshener and cigarettes. He dropped the bags onto the floor, and stumbled over to the only bed in the suite, ungracefully throwing himself onto it.

He moaned in satisfaction. Annabeth chuckled at him, "I'm gonna take a shower. Get some rest." He didn't need to be told twice.

She shut the light off, and blindly tiptoed into the bathroom. Percy kicked off his shoes, and slipped his shirt and jacket off his head. He was left in a pair of khakis he had worn to school yesterday morning. He left those on, and shuffled under the blanket. He was asleep within minutes.

He woke up about twenty minutes later, when he felt movement. His body was on red alert, as he searched for the danger.

Only to find Annabeth sliding into the bed next to him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered.

He tried to say something like, "It's alright," but it just came out as a grunt. The teenage boy unceremoniously grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her back flush against his bare chest. He let his face fall into her freshly washed, lemon-smelling curls, and snuggled his form onto the back of her body.

If she asked tomorrow morning, he could always pretend that he was too tired to be thinking straight. "Goodnight, Annabeth," he mumbled sleepily.

"Night, Perce."

Ω

**Alright! First day on the run! Nothing too interesting, just Percy's outlook. Ask questions if you are confused. Thank you for reading! Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**P.S. To the guest that doesn't think I understand New York right, and that the school systems wouldn't let her in:**

**I am well aware that a school would not allow any random girl in. That was why it was so special. She was _lucky_. And, considering that I've lived in New York, pretty much my whole life, I'd say that I understand it here, decently well. The town she fled to was Upstate, (not Long Island) so, yes, there are indeed many old towns up here. All of these places that they are going, are the places I grew up around. The whole state of New York is not skyscrapers. Please, in the future, try not to make me look like an idiot.**

**Sorry for that rant guys! I was just a little offended that someone thinks I didn't understand what I was writing about. I love you guys, and all the support you give me!**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Opening the door, she expected to see Percy sound asleep on the bed, possibly a little trail of drool t__racking__ down the corner of his lip. That was not at all the case..._**"**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Waking up, Annabeth feels something heavy laying across her torso. Her head lifted up from it's spot on her pillow, to see a big hairy arm locked around her body in a tight embrace.

Annabeth briefly wonders, _What did I _do_ last night_? Before recognizing a tiny 'C' shaped scar near the elbow of the man's arm. It was her boyfriend, Percy's arm. He had told her he got it in a mean game hide-and-seek when he was ten.

For a few seconds, she just sat there and appreciated the moment. Being bundled up and safe in Percy's snuggle. She loved the feel of his skin on hers, his warmth radiating onto her skin, his deep breaths fanning out across her neck. Letting her know that he was still here, and having no intention of leaving.

She knew she was still supposed to be mad at him for coming with her, but she couldn't keep up the anger anymore when she was so grateful towards him. He had done so much for her; she didn't deserve to stay upset with him. That being said, she wasn't angry at him; she was angry at herself for letting it happen.

Deciding that it was time to wake up, judging by the digital clock that read _10:14_, she gently lifted Percy's limbs off of her, and rolled out of bed. He stirred, and she thought he was going to wake up, so she quickly stuck a pillow into his arms, to take her place. He nuzzled the pillow, and seemed to relax.

They were going to need breakfast soon, seeing as they hadn't ate in hours, so Annabeth figured she'd let Percy sleep in a little longer, and she'd go pick up some food real quick.

After putting on a hoodie, she wandered out of the shady motel, and into the streets of Albany. Examining the line of buildings across the street, she discovers what she'd been looking for. A gleaming white McDonald's, shown in all it's glory, from it's location off the sidewalk. Cheap fast food, what else could she ask for?

The blonde girl crossed the street and entered the restaurant quickly. There was no one else in line, so she was served quickly. She ordered two Sausage McMuffins with Egg and a couple of hash-browns for Percy, and an Egg White Delight McMuffin for herself.

The cashier handed her the food in a large white paper bag, with the 'golden arches' logo on the front. She paid extra to get herself bottled water, and an orange juice for Percy.

Swiftly, she navigated her way back to the motel, eating her sandwich on the way, before she could be spotted. Now that she knew there was wanted posters put up for her, she was reluctant to show her face around.

Then, a thought struck her. How _did_ Octavian find her? Yesterday had been so hectic, that she hadn't even thought about what could have tipped him off. A month ago, she would have believed it to be Percy, because he was the only one she knew of, that had the information.

But, now she could swear on her life that it couldn't have been Percy. So, what clued him in? Did somebody else from school visit Manhattan, and recognize her off a poster? Not likely that would happen twice...

The curiosity bubbled in her, but for now, there was nothing she could do. She told herself she'd think about it later. Right now, she needed to get some food into into her boyfriend – The poor kid was probably starving.

Opening the door, she expected to see Percy sound asleep on the bed, possibly a little trail of drool tracking down the corner of his lip. That was not at all the case.

What she saw, was her boyfriend frantically pulling up the bed skirt, searching for something underneath the frame of the mattress. His expression was terrified, and he looked ready to clobber something.

At the sound of the door opening, he whipped around to face Annabeth. Many emotions crossed over his face at that time. First surprise, then relief, which quickly turned into anger.

"Where have you been?!" He yelled at her, stepping away from the bed, to examine her body. He lifted one of her elbows, and studied around her arm carefully, looking for some sort of harm. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?!"

She hastily pulled her arm out of his grasp, and shoved the bag of food in his hand. "Getting you breakfast. What are you doing? The place is a mess," she pointed out.

"Looking for you! I thought Octavian had found you, and taken you away from me!"

Although his concern was downright sweet, and utterly adorable, she couldn't help to ask, "Did you really think you were going to find me under the bed?"

He sighed angrily, and rolled his eyes. Though he seemed more relaxed, which was good. He opened the bag and pulled out the contents, after rubbing his face tiredly.

"All that's yours. I ate mine on the way," she told him while closing the curtains. She didn't need any peeping toms.

Inspecting the heaps of food she had brought to him, he turned to her with a light smirk, "You are forgiven."

He bit into one of his sandwiches rabidly, and added with his mouth full, "Next time, you think you could leave a note?"

She chuckled, and walked up behind him, bending over and kissing his cheek. "Sure." she responded, "Good Morning, by the way."

"Not a very good morning, if you ask me. Imagine having the first thing you wake up to, being an empty bed, when you know very well their should be a pretty blonde girl lying there," he pouted.

Annabeth blushed at the compliment that he probably hadn't even meant to say. She now felt sort of guilty, too. She had woken up to a blissful moment in Percy's embrace, while he had been faced with intense worry, and fear. She didn't know what she would do if she woke to find Percy missing.

"I'm sorry, Percy. It's different for me; having someone actually worried. I've only ever been on my own."

He smiled warmly at her, and rotated his head so he could bump her nose with his own. "I'm just glad that you're back, and we're together, and safe... and you brought food. I was fucking starving."

She laughed, because she knew him so well. He had devoured his food within minutes, and proceeded to chug the plastic bottle of orange juice in one gulp.

Seeing that he was done eating, she decided to ask about what had been bugging her.

"So, I was thinking..." Percy muttered something like 'shocker' in response, to which she ignored, and continued, "how do you think Octavian found me?"

Percy was obviously not expecting the question, because his demeanor changed from playful to serious. He thought for a few minutes before sighing, and pushing a hand through his dark locks. "I have no clue."

She shook her head in disbelief at the whole situation, "I thought the town was different. He took longer to find me, this time. I don't understand how, in God's name, he can keep discovering me. It's not like he's an investigator or secret agent, he's literally a nineteen-year-old kid in college majoring in _philosophy_. It makes absolutely no sense."

The green-eyed boy chuckled dryly, staring at the wall across from him, "Maybe he had help. Do you think someone else might have found your posters?"

"That's not likely to happen twice."

Percy was thoughtful for a moment, until his face washed in a sudden realization. "Oh God," he groaned, getting up and digging through his backpack. After thoroughly searching, and obviously not finding what he was looking for, he angrily threw the pack at the wall. "Fucking great. Of course," he muttered to himself.

Annabeth was worried. "Perce, what's wrong?"

He faced her, with a grim expression, "It didn't happen two different times. It happened one time, only it was used twice."

By now, she was confused. He was speaking gibberish, after just throwing a mini-tantrum. "I don't understand."

"Your missing poster," he clarified. "How coincidental, it's _missing_. It's not in my bag; someone took it."

Her heart dropped it her chest. Someone at school knew? Had they told the whole school already? She shouldn't have felt embarrassed. "Surely, you've just misplaced it."

He shook his head quickly, "No, Annabeth. I kept it in here. I didn't take it out."

"Who would have been going through your back pack?"

Percy snorted, "Anyone. People are always trying to get a piece of me."

She rolled her eyes, the sad part was, Percy wasn't even being conceited. People did try to get things from him. Mainly, they try to get in his pants, but that's besides the point.

"This sucks. Who would do that?" Annabeth asked.

The raven headed boy looked, almost, sheepish. "They don't know you. Maybe, they were just concerned. They could've thought you were just some overly dramatic teenager running away to get attention."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at the teenager, an amused glint in her eyes. "Oh? That's what they think? It sounds like you've given it some thought..." Her statement wasn't accusatory. She just liked to make her boyfriend squirm.

Percy looked uncomfortable as he slowly confessed, "I may or may not have...briefly considered the possibility when I first confronted you." He started to stutter, "I'm sorry. I just didn't know at the time-"

He was probably scared that she'd be offended, or mad. But, she wasn't. She understood. If she'd been in his shoes, she probably would have thought the same thing.

She cut him off with her giggle, "Percy. Chill out. It's fine, I'm not mad."

Poking her in the side with his index finger, he replied, "Promise?"

"Yes, I promise," she rolled her eyes.

Ω

"We need to get going soon. We shouldn't be wasting our money on cheap motel fees." Percy told Annabeth. It was still afternoon, and all they had managed to do that morning was rally all of their supplies together, and try to think of a plan. The latter was proving to be harder than he thought.

"You're right. But, where are we going after this? We don't have enough cash or supplies to go out blindly," she pointed out. She was experienced in this kind of thing, and he trusted that she knew what she was talking about. (_Like most other things_.)

Percy had an idea, and he didn't like it. It was dangerous, and demoralizing. He didn't think Annabeth would like it either. But, it would help them... if it worked out.

"Now, don't brush this off, immediately. Think about it," Percy proposed.

She gave him a skeptical look, "What?"

"Well, I told you about my _dad_ in New York?" He cringed at the word; he still didn't like to call him that.

"The rich asshole, you hate with a passion?" She questioned sardonically.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he answered, "Yeah. That's him." Going for it, he spat out, "I'd say he owes me for being so absent in my life. I think we should go to Manhattan, and ask for help." The words tasted bitter on his tongue. If he wasn't doing it for Annabeth, there was no way they'd even be coming out of his mouth.

She was shaking her head before he evened finished. So much for 'don't brush this off, immediately.' "Percy, is that a joke?"

He shook his head, solemnly. And, she sighed.

"First of all, I cannot go back to New York. They're _looking_ for me. Second of all, that's a dangerous trip. Heading into urban areas is rough; there's all kinds of things you have to watch out for. And, lastly, we can't get your dad involved. He'll surely tell your mom, or call the police or something. We don't need his help anyway." she huffed.

"Annabeth, it kills me to admit it, but we just might. We can't do this so unprepared. I'm just asking him for some extra cash; Lord knows he's got it." Percy started pacing around the room as ideas popped into his head.

"And, we can just wear disguises. I'm not talking artificial mustaches and trench coats, but we could wear our hoods up. Out of all the people in Manhattan, they won't notice us; and if they do, they won't care."

He continued, "It might be dangerous to go into the cities, but with your tactical brain, and my fast reflexes, I'm sure we'll be in and out in no time. We'll plan ahead. And, prepare ourselves. We need to take risks, if we want to survive out here."

Annabeth was gaping at Percy like a fish, by the end of his little speech. He was satisfied, because he'd never seen her like that.

He could get used to it.

"I'm not saying it's a good idea. In fact, it's incredibly stupid. Insane, even. But, you're right about needing to take risks. Just because I'm agreeing to your idiotic plan, doesn't mean that I like it." Her arms were crossed, and her nose was turned up – not letting her pride take a blow.

Percy didn't care. He ran up to her and spun her into a hug. "Thank you!"

"Why are you so excited? You hate your dad..."

She didn't get it. Or see what he was seeing. "It's not about my dad. Look at us. We're working together; cooperating. And, it'll be such a great help. If my dad gives us enough money, we might be able to leave the state. We might not even have to deal with Octavian for a while. He'd never find you somewhere in..." he thought for a moment. "I don't know...Virginia? Colorado? Alabama? The possibilities are endless."

Annabeth looked surprised at his words. Maybe he had upset her? Oh God. He didn't mean to make her sad. He always said the wrong thing... He was just trying to help, and-

His thoughts were interrupted as his girlfriend suddenly grabbed his face, and kissed him like he'd just said the _very_ right thing.

Ω

**This one actually took me a little longer to finish. I had to make myself write. And, the end seemed very quick. (In all honesty, I was trying to finish this chapter before I had to leave to catch the bus. So, it is rushed.)**

**So thanks for reading! And, a big thank you to every one who has reviewed. It's the best feeling in the world, reading those. And, if you've followed/favorite. I love seeing those emails come into my inbox. If you have questions, feel free to ask. I'll try to answer to the best of my ability. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_In that moment, he realized that he was running away just as much as Annabeth. Except, he was fleeing in a cowardly __form__. __While she was running for her life, he was running from his problems..._**"**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Before the couple left the motel, Annabeth wanted to shower again. She didn't necessarily need one yet, but when she was on the run, she couldn't be sure of the next time she would have the opportunity to bathe.

That being said, the blonde girl stripped down to her nude state. She stepped under the shower's cover. The searing hot droplets cascaded down her back, reaching every inch of her exposed skin. Her sore muscles screamed in pleasure.

She let herself believe that the water was washing all the scum and dirt of the last few days, away. Drowning out all the worries that came along with her complicated life.

Minutes blended together as she lost herself in relaxation. She didn't know how long she'd been in, after she got out, but judging by her raw red skin, she'd say she was under the scalding water for a while.

Climbing out of the tub, she stood in front of the fog covered mirror, she wiped her hand in a loose arc, removing the condensation. She stared into the reflection of herself.

She watched as dribbles of water flooded down in a race, her wet body shining.

Her fingers drifted off of their own accord; her left hand had traveled to the scar on her thigh. She traced the raised fleshy mark, as images flashed across her mind. She closed her eyes and remembered.

_Quick as lightning, he snatched her cell phone out of her hand and threw it against the opposite side of the room. His hands were still clasped tightly around her neck, bracing her to the wall, and depriving her of air._

_His hand flew down to his pocket, where he always kept his Swiss army knife. Flipping the largest sharp tool out, he pushed the cold metal into her thigh._

_Her blood-curdling screams were lost into the air of his house, and warm red blood trickled down her leg. His thrust was messy, and the knife had slipped to cut a deeper gash._

_He pulled it out, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Annabeth. I don't know what I was thinking..."_

Her tears were masked by the still falling water droplets coming from her hair. Though, the gray of her irises were a color close to liquid silver; crying always did that to them. She pushed a wet curl behind her ear, and stared at herself fully.

She was in her most natural form. This was what she was. This was Annabeth. Every scar, mark, imperfection was her. They told the story of her life. They were apart of her.

Pivoting, she looked at the large scar on the back of her ribs. She bent her arm at her elbow, and reached to touch it. Her fingers delicately outlined the angry red mark. Just as before, she saw the memory play behind her eyelids.

Opening her eyes, she once again stared at herself in the mirror. She used to think of her scars as ugly reminders of her past – and she wasn't wrong when she thought that. But now, she could see a twisted beauty to them. The marks on her body, were like the words printed in a book.

She had come so far from seven months ago. Her past life before the run had no character. No defining moments. She was a forgotten child. No one would remember her after high school. She may have been popular, but that wouldn't have mattered to anyone at their ten-year high school reunion.

Not only did she know more about herself as a person, but she had become stronger. Physically, and emotionally. Sure, some days it felt like the outside world would be a better place than her war zone of a mind, but she was still kicking. She was breathing and living, because she was strong. No one could deny her that one thought of happiness.

That's not to say that other things don't make her happy. Because, she can think of a few with out-of-control black hair, and swirly green eyes. Percy was a god-sent in Annabeth's life.

She couldn't even begin to explain the way she felt about him. It was even starting to scare her. Because, when she thought about it, they'd only been dating a little over a week. They'd only known each other for a month and a half. And, she was falling for him. Fast.

It was hard to believe that he was so invested in her. She surely didn't deserve someone like him, after all she'd done to him. Every time she looked at his face, she couldn't help but to feel so incredibly guilty. _She _brought him into her fucked up world. _She_ put him in danger. _She_ ruined his life.

Annabeth wasn't known for hiding away from her feelings. She could admit to herself that what she felt for Percy, was something she'd never felt before. She didn't feel this way with Octavian, or any other petty boyfriend she'd had in the past.

The term 'boyfriend' sounded so juvenile. Percy and her were more than that. Their relationship was more than just a couple of high school sweethearts. She might not have known him long, but she knew him well. And, she definitely couldn't put a label on what they had together.

And, now that he had been here, her excruciating solitude was finally feeling soothed. The cold, hard sting of loneliness and desolation didn't make itself known when Percy was there. The thought of Percy could put her in a whole different state of being.

So, yeah. Percy was more than just a boyfriend. He was her control. In a science experiment, a control can be described as something that doesn't change; it stays. Percy was that for her. With all the other variables in her life, she needed his kind of permanence.

He'd been given so many opportunities to run for the hills. She had offered, forced, and even begged him to stay away; to leave. He never did.

It took all she had not to break down when he talked about moving around the country with her. He said it as if they weren't two teenagers on the run. Like they were an old married couple touring America, because their kids have grown up, and they were bored, or something.

He sounded like he _wanted_ to be with her. That he'd follow her anywhere she'd have to go. And, God damn. That was a good feeling.

Annabeth felt wanted; needed. She finally had a place where she belonged – in Percy's life. After growing up as the hidden child, born out of wed-lock, not hated, but not appreciated, to be with Percy felt like finally meaning something, to _someone_.

She realized that Percy represented a better life. What she had longed for. Her problems seem to melt away at his hands.

He had become an icon of what a better future could be. She could look at him, and imagine what it would be like, if they weren't living this crazy life. They could grow up together, with no threat from someone's past. But, since they couldn't change that, she could just imagine being together. And that was honestly enough.

When Annabeth thought of things getting better, her life pulling through, _a positive future_, she saw her and Percy sitting in his mom's living room, and Percy introducing Annabeth to his mother as his girlfriend. (Although she still didn't like the term, she couldn't think of another one.) She had never even met Percy's mother. The way he talked about Sally made Annabeth's heart clench. She took him away from his mother. The poor woman.

In a dream, Sally would approve of Annabeth, and she would condone the relationship with her son. But sadly, if Sally even knew about Annabeth, she'd probably hate her for taking her son away.

So, Annabeth could only dream for now. She couldn't say her life was currently moving in the positive direction, because she was looking for a place she could settle for a month or so at the moment. Octavian was still out there. Percy and her were still in danger.

But, things were better, by far. Having Percy there for support and help couldn't even compare to her time spent alone.

Percy was everything she could have asked for, and far more than she deserved.

Ω

Percy had a revelation.

He wasn't sure how he felt about it.

Pacing in the motel room, waiting for Annabeth to be done in the shower, so he could get in, he resulted to thinking. She was rubbing off on him.

His brain had so little room left with everything that was on his mind, and he was suddenly very grateful that Annabeth had the sense to pack pain-reliever pills. He was going to need them with the massive headache that was forming.

So, walking around, trying to sort out his thoughts, something crossed his mind. Strangely enough, it brought him relief. Which was probably very wrong.

He had thought of never having to go back to his old life, and staying with Annabeth for the rest of his time. It was a given that he would never be leaving her. Whatever it took, he was not letting her get out of his sight – Ever.

But, the former made him happy, too. Okay, maybe not necessarily _happy,_ though definitely a feeling of relief. He didn't want to go back home.

In that moment, he realized that he was running away just as much as Annabeth. Except, he was fleeing in a cowardly form. While she was running for her life, he was running from his problems.

That's not to say that he wasn't there for primarily for Annabeth. Because everything he did in the past few days, had been for her. And, he didn't resent that, or hold it against her. He wanted her to infuse into every damn molecule of his life.

Maybe that sounded too obsessive, but he had to be pretty attached to her if he was willing to leave everything behind and follow her anywhere she wanted to go. Not that he was leaving much behind; like he said, he was running away from his problems.

He realized that the stress of trying to make his mom proud, and the frustration of being used and unappreciated by his father and the student body was becoming too much. He didn't want to remember that stuff. He wanted to start over.

He wanted his mom to have a better life. Her and Mr. Blofis could have their own son together. One that didn't remind her of the man she loved, that left her. They could have a kid that made them proud. Without ADHD or dyslexia. One that wasn't known for being rambunctious and troublesome. They'd be better off without him. They deserved that. They could start over, like he, himself, was trying to do.

His dad could go scratch for all he cared. He wasn't leaving for the guy's benefit. He was even going to visit him, and talk to him for the first time in weeks. Since the _falling out_, the man tried calling Percy's cell phone once. One time.

Even if Percy hated his dad, and didn't want to talk to him, he would admit that it hurt. It hurt that his own father didn't even want to make that big of an effort to make things right.

Getting away from hockey would be another perk. Don't get him wrong, he loved hockey. It was just hard to deal with everything that came along with being the 'all-star' team captain. He was done with being what everyone else wanted. It was absolutely exhausting most of the time. Though, he'd feel bad about leaving his team in the middle of the season.

Being with Annabeth helped him feel better. She never liked him because of the reasons anyone else liked him. She didn't care that her boyfriend was captain of the best high school hockey team of the state.

Other than being slightly jealous, (which was incredibly adorable – might he add.) she didn't care that the other girl's wanted him. She didn't show him off.

All she ever cared about was his well-being. The whole time they'd known each other, she had an ulterior motive of keeping him safe, and out of her dangerous double life. Every time she spoke with him, she had to have been constantly on alert, making sure she didn't slip up. It sounded exhausting just thinking about it. And, it was hard to believe she did it for so long, just for him.

It was heart-warming. Sometimes, it was hard to believe he got so lucky. Most people wouldn't think he was lucky in his situation, but that's how he felt.

He had an amazing girlfriend, that he was admittedly falling in love with, faster than he thought possible. She meant everything to him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd cared for something so much, that wasn't his mother (or his first car – but he didn't want to ruin his sappy little proclamation of love.)

If Annabeth felt _half_ the things he felt for her, than he knew they were off to a good start. They had a strong relationship that was surprisingly withstanding all the pressure being weighted on it.

At that moment, he heard the water shut off in the bathroom. He dug through his pack, looking for his soap. He didn't know what kind of carnival the motel soap had been through.

She didn't come out of the bathroom until at least fifteen minutes later. He was confused on what could have taken her so long, until he saw her appearance. Her shoulders were slumped slightly, and her normally stormy eyes were a vulnerable silver color.

He didn't know why he was so surprised. Now that he thought about it, he had always pictured Annabeth as so strong. She had been through all of this kind of stress before, and she was used to it; accustomed even. It never crossed his mind that it could actually be taking a toll on her.

He felt like an idiot for not seeing it before. Of course it was still going to be hard for her. She'll never get used to being stalked. And, she still probably felt guilty about him being with her. She was breaking down.

There was no way to make her understand how he felt, it seemed. Why couldn't she see how completely firm in his decision he was? He was unyielding; he wasn't changing his mind anytime soon – or ever.

He would never regret forcing Annabeth into bringing him. He just wished that there was a way he could make her feel better about it.

Approaching his girlfriend, who was dressed in a white tank top and tight black track pants that made his head a little fuzzy, he placed his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes met his, and he knew that she had just been crying. The whites of her eyes were rimmed red, and the irises were so light, it shocked him. He really shouldn't be thinking of how beautiful she looked after she breaks down...

"Annabeth," he whispered, moving his hands up to cup her face. His thumbs rubbed her cheeks lightly.

She swallowed thickly, tried (and failed) not to meet his eyes. She hated looking weak. "Hmm?" she hummed.

Percy pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "We're together. And, as long as we have that, then we'll be doing alright." He didn't know if that was the right thing to say. He was just guessing what was making her upset, but he'd like to think he knew her well enough to guess correctly.

Her eyes studied his, detecting the truth of that statement. She must have found what she was looking for because she pulled him into a strong hug.

As Annabeth squeezed all the emotions she could, into that embrace, Percy knew that they would be okay. They would endure the bumps in the road – that seemed more like ginormous potholes or lumps of dead bodies – and they would come out together alive.

Ω

**How in the hell does my mom expect me to keep up with my fricken diet if she's making pasta e fagioli for dinner? You can't _just_ eat one serving of that shit. It takes over your life.**

**Moving on...**

**Thank you for reading! I hope you like this chapter. This chapter took forever to write. I even procrastinated enough to write a whole one-shot, when I was working on it a little while ago. Go check it out if you haven't seen it. It's called Turn Blue. It was just kind of a bubble of randomness, so forgive me.**

**If you are confused about anything, you can ask me a question in a review or a PM, you could even kik me (xbellaboo), whichever one, I don't care. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_He could feel it in his bones. Him and her are _supposed_ to be together. Call it soulmates, or call it fate. He didn't know what it was, he just knew that __this__ was different from Octavian..._**"**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Slinging his book bag of supplies over his shoulder, Percy was ready to leave for New York City again.

Annabeth walked beside him as they left the motel. Her hand automatically slipped into his, and squeezed it tightly. It felt reassuring, and made Percy relax a bit.

They still weren't sure exactly _how_ they were getting to Manhattan. Percy wasn't too fond of spending even more money on transportation, but they couldn't just walk there. First reason being that it was too far away. Second being that New York City is on an island. Last time he checked, he couldn't walk on water – although that would be cool.

"I have an idea, and I could really use the rebellious side of you as a support with it," Annabeth started.

Percy was confused, but that happened a lot around Annabeth. His eyebrows scrunched together, and he questioned, "What do you mean?"

She looked a bit nervous, and slightly hesitant. He didn't like that she was having trouble telling him something. He was worried what it would have to be, but mostly he just wanted Annabeth to be comfortable telling him anything. "C'mon. You can tell me."

Biting her lip, she responded, "Okay, well like you said to me before, keep an open mind. I've had to do stuff similar to this before. It's no big deal."

"Similar to what?"

"We could pull off getting onto the train, without paying. I've been doing this kind of stuff for a while – _freeloading_, I guess – and I know that we could do it," she rushed out in one breath, wincing at the word 'freeloading.'

Percy didn't know what to think. Obviously, he didn't want to steal, but Annabeth made a good point. She probably _could_ get away with it. It was just a matter of whether Percy could do the wrong thing or not.

Annabeth probably survived off of other people's stuff, and was most likely used to it by now. And, when he thought about it – in his opinion – anything Annabeth did to protect herself was 100% okay and justified. He couldn't stand the thought of her suffering. He, himself, would do some crazy shit to keep her safe.

So, stealing transportation didn't seem to matter as long as Annabeth was being taken care of. "Alright. Let's do it."

He'd never felt so protective of anyone in his life. It felt so foreign, to care so much about one person. He should be careful; this was exactly what Annabeth had been talking about.

They were too attached for people so young. This happened with Octavian. And, that scared him to all hell.

What if Annabeth left him? Would he go crazy and try to attack her? He shook off the thought immediately. The thing with caring so much about Annabeth, was that he wanted her to be happy. If she didn't want him, he'd make sure she'd never have to see him again.

Forcing her to bring him along was different. He _knew_ she wanted him still. He _knew_ that she wanted help, but was too prideful and protective to ask for it. He _knew_ that she appreciated it all – deep down, at least.

And, maybe their close relationship was justified. After all, they were dealing with things that some other teenagers couldn't even begin to fathom. It was rational that they were so strongly bonded. He didn't want anything with Annabeth to change.

As fucked up as it was, he was happy with Annabeth. He felt happier here, on the run, than he felt, when he was at home, single and not having met her yet. Yeah. To other people, that sounded pretty damn screwed up. But, to him, it made sense, because he knew his girlfriend. And, he knew how much she was worth it to him.

Maybe that was another con at being so attached. He would willingly put himself in danger to save a girl he had known for less than two months. This is the kind of stuff Annabeth was afraid of. That he would get hurt protecting her.

But it was so worth it to him. He didn't want to know a world without her.

He should be scared of his feelings, (Lord knows Annabeth would be, if she could see into his mind.) but something _deep in his being_ told him what he felt for Annabeth was right. He could feel it in his bones. Him and her are _supposed_ to be together. Call it soulmates, or call it fate. He didn't know what it was, he just knew that this was different from Octavian.

Percy wasn't obsessed with her in a carnal way like Octavian had been. What Percy felt for her was raw, and real. He didn't need to have sex with her to know that he wanted her in every way she came.

…

They arrived at the train station soon after. Annabeth had been surprised at Percy's quick agreement, probably because she wasn't hearing all the sappy things that were running through his head.

The stumbled inside of the heated building, and Percy groaned in pleasure. It had been so cold outside, and they had to walk here. Annabeth chuckled at her boyfriend's childish actions. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the side to tell him her plan.

"Alright, so when I say so, your going to throw this at that display over there," she pointed to a pyramid of cans that had been stacked up for a food drive, and handed him a baseball.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

She shook her head, "We're not going to steal from the hungry or anything. We're just going to distract the ticket-checker-guy."

Smirking, he replied in a light sarcastic tone, "Ticket-checker-guy? My dear, you never fail to surprise me with your impeccable vocabulary."

He was pretty sure he heard her mutter 'smug bastard' under her breath, before she queued up in the line of boarding passengers. He laughed as he followed her. "Where did you even get this?" He gestured to the ball.

She smiled big, "I saw it on the ground outside, and thought it might be useful. Guess I was right."

Shaking his head, he chuckled. She loved being right.

The line moved until Percy and Annabeth were next. Just as the man took the ticket from the woman in front of them, Annabeth turned around and mouthed _Now_. The guy was distracted, and they were next, it was the perfect point. He had to time it just right.

Stepping behind a large man that was too busy with his phone, Percy curled his arm back, and hauled the baseball at the stack of cans. The ball flew through the air with great speed and force, it hit the pyramid. There was a loud 'crack,' and then the sounds of the cans tumbling down.

It had worked. The guy checking the tickets, ran off to see the cause of disturbance. No one even gave Percy a second glance. He was proud of that throw. Maybe he would make a good baseball player as well.

Jogging back to Annabeth, he followed behind her quickly onto the train, and whispered in her ear, "Three points to Percy Jackson."

She turned around and tried to suppress her laugh. Swiftly, she pressed a small kiss on his nose. "Good job, Perce. It worked out perfectly."

He grinned proudly, as she grabbed his hand, and dragged him to the seats. Once again, they sat in the far back. Annabeth adjusted Percy's hood, making sure any busy-bodies couldn't see his face clearly.

"I can't believe that worked..." he muttered, with a small smile gracing his lips.

"Me neither. Who knew my little old boyfriend had such an arm?" she snickered, poking at his left jacket sleeve.

Lifting up that same arm, he wrapped it around her shoulders. He kissed her temple and buried his face in her hair, letting out a muffled, "Shut up, Chase."

…

Percy had to admit, the ride wasn't as bad as it had been the last time – when he was visiting his dad a few weeks ago to have their little conversation. It probably had something to do with the cute blonde snuggled into his side, occasionally placing sleepy kisses to wherever she could reach.

She refused to fall asleep on the train, claiming that she needed to stay awake to keep watch, while Percy got much-needed sleep. Her attempt was in vain; like Hell he'd be dozing off while she was 'keeping watch.'

The train ceased with a terrible screeching sound, and a blow of it's horn, a couple of hours later. The two got up from their seats, and shuffled off the train.

Annabeth looked like she was going to be sick; he'd never seen her look so scared. He grabbed for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "We're together, and we're safe," he whispered.

She closed her eyes, and breathed deeply, nodding her head. "You're right."

Percy looked around the station. There wasn't many people around, it was getting a bit late. Coming up around nine o'clock at night. They'd have to find somewhere to sleep soon, considering they were both too stubborn to do so on the train. "Where are we going to stay tonight? It's getting late," Percy pointed out.

Her eyebrows furrowed together in the cute way they do when she thinks hard. "I know a place close to here. I stayed there for a couple of nights. Though that was in the middle of August..."

"Where?"

"It's really close to my old house. I'll take us there. Come on," she led them left down the sidewalk.

Percy almost forgot that Annabeth used to live here. With a_ family_. She used to have a normal life. He suddenly felt really angry towards her parents. How come they weren't looking for her? She was living in Hell, while they sat back in their comfy New York home, forgetting she even existed. He knew if he ever had the opportunity to talk to her dad, he'd punch him in the face.

Annabeth really did know her way around New York. She took loads of turns down, alleyways, and short cuts, and they had arrived at their destination in less than fifteen minutes. He was impressed with her.

In a crevice between two sets of row houses, there was a small shed. It looked empty, and dirty. Not livable by any means. But, for one night, they could stay there. Once again, her plan worked out.

Though, he could see why she made the comment of it being summertime while she stayed here. It was fucking cold out, and there was no heat in that little shed. His fingers already felt like they were going to fall off, and his breath came out in a thick foggy cloud.

"Well, at least it's still here..." she muttered.

"It's great. Nice thinking, Annabeth," he encouraged her.

She smiled softly, and led the way in. "The owners never use it. Their son used to keep his motorcycle in here, but now he's in college."

"Did you know these people?" he asked, surprised.

Annabeth nodded, "Yeah, I used to live right down there." She gestured to a street sign only a couple of blocks away. "I actually tutored their son..." she added, chuckling. "Things are so different from then."

He felt sympathy for her, but she was smiling, like it was a happy memory. And, unfortunately, he started to feel jealous. In the future, if they ever got out of this, would she smile at the memories she had of Percy? Probably not... She wouldn't like remembering this stuff – sleeping on the floor of a cold shed. It only filled his resolve to get her out of this mess, and together, they could make new memories, that she would smile and laugh thinking back on.

Studying the inside of the shed, he could see stains on the concrete ground, from where oil had spilled. There was a tarp covering half of the floor, and various tools left behind, littering the pavement.

He cleared a spot big enough for the two of them to lye down, on the tarp. There was a thin cotton sheet in the corner, probably used to cover the motorbike that had once occupied the room. He gingerly picked it up, and shook the dirt out of it.

Pulling Annabeth onto the floor with him, he moved the sheet to cover the both of them, and pulled her into his chest. He had opened the front of his jacket, so his body heat could keep her warm.

Percy could feel her body wracked in shivers against his. He felt so useless, and desperately rubbed his hands over her arms, trying for friction to keep her heated. She smiled gratefully, though stopped his hand with her own. "Thanks, Perce. But, I'm fine, get some sleep."

He snuggled her deeper into his embrace, and kept his face obscured in her hair.

After a few minutes, her breathing became deep and steady. Rhythmic. He knew she was sleeping. Her form had shifted, so that her shoulder was pushed up against his chest. His arms were still wrapped around her waist.

Her face was slightly turned toward his, and he could see the worry lines that had formed on her beautiful features. His top arm, came up to her face and smoothed the line creased between her eyebrows. She immediately looked more peaceful.

She was so innocent, and beautiful in her sleep. He knew that no one had seen the vulnerable side of Annabeth that he had been getting to know the past few days. He was glad that he could be the only person to know it.

Pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead, he relaxed into the embrace, but tightened his grip on her small frame, protectively. "I love you," he whispered against her temple. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.

Ω

**Do Percy's feelings seem to have come in too fast? Because they're obviously really strong... I was doubting this chapter a bit. I don't know if this feels realistic or not. I just hope that it's believable for Percy to have been in so deep so quickly. I feel like he's one of those characters that would love someone with everything he has. So, I'm sorry if you don't think it's realistic enough, but I just fucking _love_ Percabeth, and couldn't wait any longer. (They're my weakness.)**

**Thanks so much for reading! Ask questions...yada yada yada. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_She just now processed the fact that she was walking into her _bedroom._ She felt like she wanted to cry..._**"**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Waking up in Percy's arms had _n__o__t_ lost it's appeal. Sure, Annabeth had risen, cold as the mother fucking arctic tundra, but her whole right side was actually pretty warm. As well as her cheeks, as she saw how intimate of a position Percy and her were in.

Percy's left arm was wrapped around her waist, underneath her, and their legs were tangled together. Her head was tucked into his chest, and his other arm was locking her in place.

She reached for her iPod, and checked the time. _6:52_, it read. They needed to be out of here by _7:15_, when Mr. Emerson left for work. Gently, she tried to maneuver inside of Percy's vice-like grasp, so she could wake him up.

Her hand came up to cup his cheek tenderly, and she kissed his nose. "Percy, wake up."

His eyelids fluttered, but remained closed. His nose wrinkled like the kiss tickled. She almost chuckled aloud at how utterly _cute_ he was sometimes. She moved the hair out of his face, and ran her hand over his scalp, relishing in his beautifully messy hair. She kept running her hand in his hair, as she spoke just a peep louder, "Percy."

His eyes opened, and frantically darted around the room for a moment, before settling on Annabeth's. A tiny smile graced his tired lips, as he greeted, "Good morning, Beautiful."

His voice sounded undeniably sexy. It was husky and low. She decided she _loved_ Percy's sleepy voice. The 'beautiful' comment didn't even register until after a couple of seconds. Her cheeks tinted pink, and he chuckled. Oh God, that chuckle. His voice was doing things to her.

In an attempt not to jump her boyfriend, she sated herself with a light kiss to his lips. "Good morning."

He released her from his grasp – much to her displeasure – to stretch his arms above his head. Yawning, he asked, "Why in God's name are we up this early?"

"Mr. Emerson will be leaving for work in a little over fifteen minutes. It's safest if we go now," she answered while petting down the hair she mussed.

Percy nodded and shivered violently. "It's fucking cold." His fingers reached over to trace her lips, "Your lips are blue."

Her own fingers moved to her mouth, feeling them. "Huh," she said, curiously.

Chuckling he stood up, and zipped up his jacket. He held out his hand to help her up, and she took it gratefully. "Let's just grab our stuff and get out of here." As he went to pick up both of their bags, he questioned, "Where are we going? I'm not even cruel enough to wake my dad up at this ungodly hour."

She bit her lip. Last night, she had an idea, but didn't know how Percy would feel about it. Sensing her hesitation, he turned to her. "What is it?"

"I was wondering, if..." she ran a hand through her tangled hair, "if we could go see my family."

His eyebrows raised considerably. He obviously didn't expect that. It made her smile internally – she was always able to surprise him.

"Of course I won't say no, but are you sure about this? Do you really want to? Are you prepared to see them?" He looked worried and skeptical.

She rushed her words, "I'm sure. I haven't seen them since before I left... I'm not gonna talk to them, obviously, but I wanna see them as long as we're here. Because I may never come back to New York after this."

He nodded, "Okay. As long as you're sure."

The blonde grinned broadly, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much."

Percy pulled back smiling, and stroked her hair, "Anything for you."

…

The two set off, with their bags tightened around her shoulders. Annabeth would admit she was nervous. She didn't know what she would find.

As they walked, Percy asked her hesitantly, "What are they like?"

She was quiet for at least a minute. "They look like the perfect family. But they're... corrupt."

He was quiet as he thought about what she had said.

Her old house was only a couple of blocks away from the shed, so they were standing in front of it in less than five minutes.

"It's nice," Percy commented.

"Thanks," she mumbled, walking to the side of the house, where she knew the fire escape was.

She threw herself up and caught onto the last wrung of the latter. Percy's eyes widened and he ran up behind her, holding her hips to keep her from dropping. "Annabeth, are you crazy?!"

Annabeth chuckled at him, and tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "I used to do this to all the time, Perce. That's my room up there. Now, let me go!" she laughed.

Reluctantly, he let go of her and stepped back to let her climb the latter up to the balcony that led to her bedroom.

She made it up to the balcony and hopped over the railing. She hollered down to Percy, "Your turn!"

He made frantic movements with his hands, gesturing for her to quiet down. "Alright, give me a minute. I've never broke into a house before."

He jumped up and clasped onto the lowest bar for dear life. "I've got it! I'm coming!"

Annabeth smiled at him in amusement, as he threw himself over the railing. "God, this is a horrible idea," he mutters to himself, as she leads them to the door of the balcony.

She knew for a fact that her parents never locked this door. They didn't worry about people sneaking into their missing daughter's room.

As suspected, the glass doors pushed open when Annabeth turned the knob. "No offense..." Percy started, "But, are they _dumb_? This is a nice house in Manhattan, and they don't even keep the doors locked?" The disbelieving look on his face makes her laugh quietly.

"Come in," she whispered, trying not to alert her parents.

Percy stepped in with her. She just now processed the fact that she was walking into her _bedroom_. She felt like she wanted to cry.

Moving around the room slowly, she was surprised to see that everything was left the same. She figured for sure it'd be a home gym by now.

Stopping in front of her desk, she looked around at the papers. It looked like her room had been cleaned since she had ransacked it when she left. She didn't know what that meant. Were they respecting her by taking care of her stuff? Were they preparing to get rid of all of it? She'd been gone for over seven months, after all.

Annabeth moved to look at Percy. He was staring around the room in awe. She raised an eyebrow and as if sensing her gaze, he shifted his eyesight to look at her. "It's weird to think of you as a normal teenage girl. You have a bedroom, and a house, and a family. It's so surreal. Like, when celebrities grocery shop. It's so different seeing you and the normal together in one purple-painted room."

The blonde smiled at him, "It's not my bedroom, house, or family anymore though." She pivoted to look in through her drawers. She found a few interesting things. Her license, her car keys, and a few books. She was nostalgically looking over a quiz paper from her old high school when Percy's lack of noise became apparent to her.

Her head lifted to look at him. He was studying something in his hands, with an unreadable expression. But if his clenched hands had anything to say about it, she'd think he wasn't too happy.

Approaching him, her stomach dropped at the sight in his fists. Tears started to brim in her eyes, as she took in the photo of her and Octavian. His arm was thrown over her shoulders carelessly. His pale blue eyes were gazing at her intently, as if she was his own personal sunshine. Her face was turned toward the camera where her friend Rachel was taking the photo. Her head was leaned on his shoulder and she smiled for the picture. They looked _in love_.

Percy was extremely still, his eyes covered every nanometer of the photograph. Annabeth gently reached for it and brought it out of his grasp. He let it go willingly, but never took his eyes off of it.

She knew she was crying because of the memories that picture brought, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. She held the photo out in front of her, so Percy could see clearly. Slowly, _deliberately_, she ripped the picture down the middle. The couple in the picture were tore apart.

Her boyfriend watched her every movement like he'd never seen her anything like it before. He was entranced. As she let the two halves of the photo drift to the floor, he finally looked into her eyes. She saw the uneasiness the picture had given him.

"You looked happy," he stated quietly.

"I thought I was," she answered back. This wasn't the kind of jealousy she liked to see in her boyfriend. She didn't even know if it was jealousy; his face was an emotionless mask. There was a wall up behind his eyes.

Percy watched her for a moment, "You weren't?"

Annabeth took a deep breath, thinking of how she could explain herself truthfully in a way that made sense. "I didn't know what real happiness was back then," she started slowly. "I thought I was happy at the time. But now I know that I wasn't."

"What do you mean?" he asked as he took a step closer, to hold her hand in one of his and used the other to dry her tears.

"I know real happiness now. My most blissful moments don't come near the scene in that photo," she said, truth and feeling soaking her words.

He looked puzzled when he asked, "What are your most blissful moments?"

Annabeth smiled and her fingers traveled to rest on his, that were still on her face. She gave both his hands a squeeze. "When I think of happiness, I think of you, Percy." She turned her head and kissed their entwined hands. "When you sing obnoxiously loud in your car, just to make me laugh. When you wink at me from down on the ice, and tell me I'm your number one fan. When you make jokes that I try _so hard_ not to laugh at, but have to give in because I just _can't_ resist you. When I wake up in your arms, feeling safe and cared for..." She added the next part in a whisper, "When you kiss me, and I- I finally feel like I know what love is. Those moments are what I associate with pure bliss."

Percy gaped at her. His mouth trembled like he was looking for something to say. But he settled for grabbing her face and kissing her full on the lips.

His mouth felt smooth against hers and their lips moved in a perfectly coordinated dance together. It was like he was transferring his passion into her through the kiss. She could feel everything he felt.

She felt his strong devotion, desire, and love course through her veins and she was hoping that he could feel her reciprocating every single feeling.

He pulled away for air and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Annabeth," he whispered while their breath mingled.

Annabeth never thought the first time she'd hear Percy say those words would be in her old bedroom of her parent's house. She never thought she could mean it so much when she said it back.

"I love you too, Percy," her voice was barely audible, but she knew he heard it. His grin was almost blinding.

Suddenly, a noise broke them out of their delightful moment. Annabeth could hear her stepmother's voice. "Boys, wake up! It's seven-thirty and you guys have to catch the bus in an hour!"

She felt herself chuckle. Memories of her brother's floated across her mind. No matter how much she resented her parents, she'd always love those two little monsters.

The teenage girl opened the door slowly, knowing it would be okay because her room was in it's own separate hallway – set apart from the others. Percy followed her silently.

She could hear clanking noises coming from the kitchen. Sue was probably making breakfast. A voice that was most probably Bobby's, groaned, "I hate Mondays!"

Matthew hollered back, "Let's just play hooky! School stinks!" His voice didn't sound like it was coming from his bedroom.

Annabeth giggled at her brothers who were too freaking cute. She was listening for Sue's response when something surprised her and Percy.

Her old bathroom's door opened up and a small Matthew wobbled out, clutching his toothbrush. He was only a few feet away from where they stood in plain sight. It looked like he was about to yell again, he took in a deep breath. Until he caught sight of Percy and Annabeth.

Matthew looked like he was going to scream, so she frantically held her index finger to her lips, telling him to keep quiet. His eyes darted between the couple. He reached a hand to rub his forehead, "I'm seeing things. Great."

Her and Percy shared a look and he nodded in approval. She took a step forward, "Matt, you're not seeing things. I'm here."

His small mouth fell open into a perfect 'O.' After a few seconds of initial shock and studying Annabeth to make sure she really _was_ there, his face lit up. He ran towards her and tackled her in a bear hug. "Annie!" he whisper-yelled.

She couldn't stop the tears swimming down her face as she hugged him so tight, he probably couldn't breathe. "Hi, Matt," she cried, as she kissed all over his face, starting at his cheeks and ending at his eyelids.

"Annabeth, they tickle!" he exclaimed, pushing her face away from his. "I can't believe you're here! You're coming back home?!"

Her previous tears of happiness started to feel like ones of sorrow. "No, I'm afraid not. We just came to visit you guys; make sure you're doing okay."

His brows furrowed, as his bottom lip started to quiver and eyes rimmed red. He quickly looked away from her eyes. "Oh. Right," he replied in a small voice.

Annabeth's heart clenched painfully and she moved her hand to wipe a tear that made it's out of his constrains. Matthew quickly swiped at his face, making sure there were no more. "Matt, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head, "Why can't you come back, Annie? Why did you leave us? Did we do something wrong? Bobby and me, we'll stop... we'll stop bugging you when you're trying to study. We'll be better brothers, if you come home. I promise." His eyes were hopeful, but sad. He wasn't even trying to stop crying anymore.

At this point, Annabeth was holding back full blown sobs. The clenching in her heart had started to feel like someone was reaching in her chest and kneading it with big, meaty hands. "No, bud. It's not that. You guys are the best brothers in the whole world." She stroked his hair affectionately, "You may not understand now, but I'm not safe anymore. Being here is a danger to myself and to you guys. Don't ever think for a second that it's your fault I'm gone, Matthew."

Matthew hugged his sister again, "I miss you, Annabeth," he whispered.

"I miss you too." She kissed his forehead. "Matt, I have to go. You can't tell Sue or daddy that we were here. But, I promise that, if I'm ever safe again I'll come visit you. I love you and tell Bobby I love him too."

Her little brother nodded and squeezed her tighter. "Okay, I will. I love you too."

She smiled sadly, "Goodbye," she murmured, letting go of him.

Slowly, she walked back into her room, and gestured for Percy to follow her. Matthew didn't even question who Percy was, which was weird to her. Until he ran over to him and tugged on his jacket.

Percy squatted down, as Matthew cupped his hand over his mouth and whispered something into his ear. The dark haired boy patted Matt's back and nodded; a small smile on his lips.

Matthew hugged Percy then. It was short, but sweet. She could see him mouth _thank you_. Percy just ruffled his hair and said bye.

The couple walked away waving to the younger boy, who stood in the hallway. Once they were back out onto the balcony, Annabeth finally let out a heart breaking sob.

Percy wrapped his arms around her securely. He hushed her cries and softly rubbed small circles into her back.

Kissing her forehead, he pulled away, "Let's go, sweetheart."

The nick name caught her by surprise, but for some reason she didn't feel annoyed like she usually did when someone called her by a pet name. She put it down to the fact that everything Percy did seemed justified to her.

Climbing down the latter, they both made it to the ground safely. Percy took her hand in his, as they began walking. Checking his wrist-watch, he muttered, "Eight-fifteen. Off to daddy's house, we go."

Ω

**A lot of shit went down in this chapter. Like they said that they loved each other. Awh. And then Matthew. Awh Awh.**

**And, yes. I have a problem with putting too many commas in. It's totally one of my weaknesses. My English teacher is always telling me that I need to tone down the commas. I am just really bad with them. So, I apologize for that. Thank you to GoddessOfArchitecture for the tip! I'll use it to try and improve my writing!**

**.**

**Guys. I just read the first book of the Lux series. Obsidian. And oh my fucking God all hell son of a mother fucking monster trash bitch yes. That book was good. Read it, if you have time! You probably won't regret it.**

**Thank you for reading. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask them. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_It was obviously hard on her. When __Matthew __begged her to come back home, it was like you could see the threads snapping in Annabeth. It was messing with her mind – She didn't know what to do..._**"**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Arriving at his dad's apartment building, memories of the last time he was here surfaced in Percy's head.

He started to feel the anger and resentment build in his chest again as he walked through the lobby doors. Annabeth trailed behind him as he held her hand and led her to the elevator.

Percy swiped his admittance card into the slot and pushed the key that led to the top floor. He could tell Annabeth was nervous by the way she kept fidgeting with her jacket sleeves and hair. Her top teeth bit down on her lip gently. It was cute and Percy had to remind himself to stay focused.

Smoothly, the elevator door opened. Right away, Percy could see his father. He was looking out the window in the loft. He turned around as he heard the elevator open. His face held an expression of shock, until he saw Percy. To which it morphed to slightly less shocked state. He wasn't expecting anyone to come into his home unexpected, or to see the son who had cussed him out a few weeks ago.

"Perseus! What a surprise!" Poseidon exclaimed, walking over to where the two teenagers stood.

"Poseidon," he greeted. Percy gestured to Annabeth, who was gaping around the pent house in awe, until she heard her name and snapped her attention to him. "This is Annabeth."

"It's great to meet you, dear. I'm Poseidon Jackson, Percy's father. Please excuse me... but aren't you two supposed to be missing?" The man rushed the introduction to ask his question. He studied the boy in disbelief, obviously not understanding how Percy could be in his home.

Percy rubbed his face, suddenly realizing that Sally had probably called his father to ask if he knew of his where-a-bouts. "I suppose we are."

Poseidon waited for his son to continue. When he didn't, he pressed on, "Care to explain how you are here, then?"

"We need help. I figure you owe me that much," Percy retorted with a scowl. Annabeth shot him a reprimanding look that said, _Be nice_. She squeezed his hand in encouragement to stay calm.

His dad looked uncomfortable. He shifted on his feet that were clad in fancy Italian leather. Ignoring the acknowledgment of his poor fathering skills, he replied, "You're right, of course. What is it that you need?"

Percy blew out a breath of air, "Well, money would be nice." He was blunt, but he just hated asking for things from his father. He constantly had to remind himself that this torture was for Annabeth.

The man nodded immediately, "I have money. I can do money. Do you mind if I ask why, though?"

He was about to say that he did mind, but another squeeze from Annabeth's hand told him to hold his tongue. Said girl stepped forward. Not far enough to lose her grip on him, though.

"I can answer that one," she answered calmly. "It's a long story. You may want to sit down."

"Oh why, of course. Here take a seat on the couch, right this way." The man gestured to his large set of black leather furniture. Poseidon took a seat in a large recliner.

Percy wanted them to sit in the seat farthest from his father, but Annabeth had other plans. Smiling thankfully in his direction, she pulled them to a couch close to the recliner.

Relaxing, Annabeth took a deep breath. This time it was Percy who clutched her hand in a comforting action. She smiled slightly at him and started talking.

"Can I ask of what you know so far? Just to clarify..."

The man tilted his head thoughtfully. "Well, I got a call from Sally, Friday night. She was all out of sorts, worrying about a note Percy left on the counter. Very arcane, but she got the gist of it – Percy was leaving."

Percy winced at the memory of the note he left to his mother. He had been trying to think of her very little. His mom may not realize now, that Percy being gone was a good thing for her. But hopefully soon she'd see.

Poseidon continued, "She asked me if I had seen or heard from him, which of course, I hadn't. For weeks... And I think that's all I know. She called again last night, asking if I had any news. I think she said something about the town looking for you two, as well."

Gulping, Percy looked at Annabeth. She looked as unnerved as him. They hadn't thought people would get involved as such. She turned to Poseidon, and cleared her throat.

"So, I guess I should start with my own story, before I tell the one of us."

"Seven months ago – last June – I left my...boyfriend." She had hesitated on the word boyfriend, stealing a quick glance at Percy. Poseidon looked confused as to how some teenage girl's love life had anything to do with what was going on. "He didn't take it too well. Or in other words, he went a little cooky." Percy snorted and muttered, '_A lot cooky_.'

"He attacked me, and I escaped. He's been chasing me ever since." Poseidon's sea-green eyes bugged out of his head, his body was leaned forward and he was starting to become engrossed in the story. Percy was as well. He had heard the story in bits – never in one full record.

"A little less than two months ago, I'd say the middle of December, he found me in Brooklyn late one night. I was living in a minivan that was left for dead. I fled out of the trunk before he could spot me and started running. If I had been sleeping, he would have had me. It was the middle of the night and luckily I was up reading." Percy winced at the thought, but felt a sense of affection towards his girlfriend for being saved by her love for all things knowledgeable. "Running, I was tired and my legs were sore, then I had spotted a train station."

Percy was surprised he had never heard this part of the story. He didn't know most of the stuff she was telling his father. He watched her intently as she mindlessly played with his fingers. "I bought the first ticket out of Long Island. I had never left New York City before, but I hadn't seen any other options. He had been _so close_ to getting me that time."

"That ticket boarded me on a train that I slept on until early morning. I had arrived in a cute, old, little town. I stopped by a coffee shop in desperate need of caffeine." Percy chuckled and kissed her temple. He hoped it portrayed his silent encouragement, _You're doing a great job._ "I met a barista named Reyna. She was really nice and noticed that I was new. She offered to tour me around the high school." Percy had always wondered how her and Reyna had known each other from the beginning. It was actually pretty cool to be getting all the facts.

"The problem was that I wasn't enrolled in the high school. How could I? I didn't have parents, or any proof of birth for that matter."

Poseidon broke in then, "You mention your parents. Where were they in all of this?" His face was etched in concern for the teenage girl in front of him. It was probably weird for him to hear the life story of a girl he had met less than fifteen minutes ago. It was probably even weirder for Annabeth.

Percy answered the question for her. "Annabeth couldn't tell her parents. They would call the police and the ex-boyfriend's dad is an NYPD cop. He wouldn't believe his son would do anything so wrong. And, Annabeth didn't want to get anyone involved in all the danger. Especially her family."

Annabeth smiled at him gratefully, leaning her head on his shoulder – an action that didn't go unnoticed by Poseidon.

"I see. Please, go on, if you will," he returned.

Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, "Where was I? – Oh yeah. School. Well, I totally planned on blowing this Reyna girl off. But when I found the place I'd be staying, I changed my mind. It was an abandoned house with no heat. I figured I'd be warmer at school," she chuckled then.

"I somehow convinced the women at school to let me in with essentially nothing. God bless their souls. I came to school on the next Monday. That's when I met Percy."

Percy smiled at her, nudging her with his shoulder. She turned to look at him, her eyes glinting with affection. She picked up his arm and moved it to lye across her own shoulders while snuggling her body into his side. He chuckled at her and tightened the grip with his arm.

"I was there for only about a week before he knew something was up." The three laughed at that, Poseidon shaking his head in amusement.

Percy explained, "After I left your apartment all those weeks ago, I had walked by that corner shop off Macdougal street. I coincidentally saw this girl's missing poster." Annabeth wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I confronted her at school and she judo-flipped me."

Annabeth slapped his shoulder, "You forgot the part where you caught me from behind, without my knowledge of just who you were." Turning to Poseidon, she defended, "He came up behind me, after calling me by my real name – which, I didn't know anyone knew, mind you. So, I may have over reacted. I thought he was my ex-boyfriend."

Percy rolled his eyes and said, "Well, she wouldn't give me any answers, so I took it into my own hands. We became pretty close friends, after that. About a month later, was when we started dating." Annabeth was blushing, probably hoping Percy didn't tell _that_ part of the story.

"It took a little bit of convincing, but I got her to let me sweep her off her feet," Percy told, grinning mischievously. Until, Annabeth punched him in the shoulder.

She went on to tell the story. "A week later, the ex found me again." Poseidon scowled in distaste.

"I can't really _explain_ how I knew he had been in my house. Let's just say I've acquired a skill for it after all these months."

"Unfortunately, Percy was with me when I made this discovery," Percy flicked her nose at that, but she just smiled. "I kind of started to freak out and he forced himself onto my little excursion."

Poseidon nodded like that made sense. "Sounds like Percy," he added. Annabeth giggled.

The dark haired teenager went on, "That was last Friday. I left the note for Ma, and dropped my car off in 'hiding.' We've been jumping around for a few days and now we're here."

His father whistled. "That was a long story. I see why you guys need help. I can give you the money, but you guys are welcome to stay here, as well."

Percy shook his head. "We can't stay. He'll _somehow_ find us here." '_He always does_,' Annabeth mumbled. "And if anyone finds out that you've been harboring two missing persons...well it won't be pleasant."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I see. I wish there was more I could do."

"That won't be necessary. Just... don't tell anyone. Even my mom. I know she's heartbroken now, but she'll get better. And if she read the note, I'm sure she understands why I left."

Poseidon sighed. "Alright. I won't tell anyone." He pulled his wallet out of the pocket of his slacks. Picking a little silver card, he handed it to Percy. "It's a debit card. It runs straight to my bank account. Use it freely."

Examining the card, Percy saw the little _VISA_ logo on the bottom. He put the card in his jacket pocket and looked at his father.

"Thanks, Dad," he said as sincerely as he could. Percy didn't want to act like _too much_ of an ass after his father had done him such a service.

Smiling, he replied, "Anytime, Perce."

Poseidon got up and stretched, "I have to be heading to work. Like I said before, you're welcome to stay for however long you want, but if not, Percy knows the way out."

Percy got up to shake his father's hand before leaving. Poseidon had a firm grip as he leaned in and whispered in Percy's ear. "She's a pretty one."

Blushing madly, he muttered, "Bye Dad. Thanks again."

The man smirked, "Bye." He glanced to where Annabeth was standing, ready to leave. "Nice meeting you, sweetheart. Hope everything works out between you two. Come to me, if you need anything else."

"Thanks Mr. Jackson," she smiled, waving slightly.

With that, he walked out the door for work.

Percy turned to Annabeth. He was still worried about her from her break down this morning at her parents house. Not that he'd admit it aloud, even his eyes got watery at the whole Matthew/Annabeth reunion.

Before he left, the little boy had asked him for something. Adorably enough, he had asked Percy to take care of his sister, because she was special. He couldn't have declined even if he wanted to. If Bobby was half as cute as Matthew, he didn't see how Annabeth could have had the strength to leave them in the first place.

It was obviously hard on her. When Matthew begged her to come back home, it was like you could see the threads snapping in Annabeth. It was messing with her mind – She didn't know what to do.

But she pulled through and did the right thing. Another thing he loved about her was her amazing self control. Even Percy started to believe he wished there was some way for her to go back to her family after a few minutes of that conversation with Matt – Which is absolutely ridiculous, because he loved her for Christ's sake. He didn't want her any where that was apart from him.

Which led him back to what happened before the reunion...well, that was pretty special, too. Annabeth had uttered words that he never thought he'd be lucky enough to hear, in a million years. They kept playing back in his head, like they were on repeat.

A small smile played at his lips just thinking about it. He reached for her hand out in front of him and tugged on it until she got the message that he wanted her to move closer to him. Her body was flush up against his as he craned his neck down to kiss her.

Instantly, she reacted to him – like she'd been waiting to do this, as well. As she deepened the kiss, reluctantly, he pulled away – and she didn't look happy about it. She clearly wasn't done with him yet.

"Let's find a place to stay for the night and then we can relax. It's weird to kiss you in my dad's house."

Laughing, she agreed and they exited Poseidon's house. The couple hurried down the sidewalk with their hoods up and faces hidden. They didn't have a clue where they were going to stay for the night. Percy wasn't keen on sleeping on the cold concrete of the shed again – he could still feel the kinks in his back.

As the couple passed by the very same corner store he had seen Annabeth's missing poster, Percy pulled her over to it to show her.

"This is where I found it," he told her, a faint smile gracing his lips.

Her head glanced to the street sign a couple of feet away, "Macdougal Street," she acknowledged. "Just like you said."

Percy was studying all the ads, once again. Looking for an idea of just what to do. They had money, but two (missing) teenagers couldn't just run around New York staying at five star hotels. People would get suspicious, especially since Annabeth was underage. They needed some place either low-key and laid back, or really sketchy.

He preferred the former, obviously. When he was about to give up and walk away, a miracle idea had struck him. There was an old advertisement buried under the rest. It's papers were crinkled, and yellowing. But Percy didn't care, because that piece of paper just found them a place to stay. Possibly longer than just one night.

Ω

**Yes, I left you without a clue as to what the ad was about. But, it's really cliché PJO fandom. Many of you probably already know what I'm talking about. Let's not ruin it for the others though, shall we? I hate being so obvious, but this place just worked so well. I'll try to surprise you in other ways. You know, keep you on your toes. ;)**

**I'm sorry that this chapter isn't exactly my best, but since I've been reading the Lux series, I had barely enough time to revise this. Most chapters get anywhere from 3-4 revisions, but this one only had one. So, I'm sorry.**

**Like always, thanks so much for reading my story. And ask questions if you must. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_As he was about to relax back in the bed, and take a well-deserved nap, he heard Annabeth gasp, and mutter, 'No__'__..._**"**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Montauk.

Why hadn't he thought of it before?

His mom owned a cabin over there from the time that she met his dad. The cabin itself was extremely small, run down, and smelled a little like mosquito spray. But it was perfect.

It had electricity, running water, and _good__ lord_, it had heating.

Percy gasped and punched the air triumphantly. Annabeth gave him a curious, yet amused look and he picked her up in a spinning hug.

"Annabeth! I'm a genius!" he exclaimed, squeezing his hands at the side of her face.

She was laughing hard with her eyebrows drawn together. "Are you, now?"

"I am!" He kissed her nose, "I am!"

The blonde pushed him away to look at his face fully, biting back an affectionate smile, "Percy, will you please tell me what your big revelation was?"

Breathing heavily from his exciting discovery, he answered, "I know a place where we can stay. And it's... _great_."

"Okay..." Annabeth pressed. After seeing that her boyfriend probably wasn't going to continue, she sighed impatiently, and yelled, "God dammit, Percy! Spit it out, already!"

"Montauk."

Rubbing her face tiredly, she rolled her eyes. "Should I know what that means?"

Percy's mouth fell into an 'O.' "You've never been to Montauk? How did you live on Long Island without having visited the best beach around for miles?!"

Annabeth was studying him, as if to see if he was serious or not. "A beach? Where is it? I only ever went to Manhattan Beach."

"It's on the other side of Long Island. Where all that farm land is. There's this place called Lake Montauk. We – my family, I mean – have a cabin there. It's perfect. Annabeth, we might be able to stay there for longer than one night." Percy was enthusiastic. There wasn't a better place on the East Coast.

Her eyebrows were nit and she was gazing off at nothing in particular – obviously trying to work out the kinks in the plan. It made him smile knowing she had no actual kinks to work out.

It. Was. Perfect.

She sighed in resolve, "Let's do it, Seaweed Brain."

His grin was blinding as he pulled her to the side of the road and hailed a cab. He had to pay the cabbie with his physical money, seeing as the guy didn't take debit. _How convenient_.

Percy and Annabeth had arrived in what seemed like forever to an overly excited Percy. In reality, they had only been in the car for about an hour. They had to pay the driver extra, because apparently driving to the hicks of Long Island was bad for service.

The green-eyed boy rolled his eyes, but gave him a slightly above average tip. The man thanked him generously, and said something along the lines of, "Didn't even know New York had a 'middle of nowhere.'"

Percy something close to skipped to where he knew the cabin was. He hadn't been for years and always held a small bit of resentment toward it – being that it reminded him of his dad. But even the older Percy couldn't deny how much he loved the place.

The small wooden shack came into view through the salty and cool air. His legs carried him to it by muscle memory. Annabeth followed him, gazing around at everything. He could have sworn he heard her whistle under her breath.

Approaching the screen door, Percy reached into the cliché potted plant and retrieved the key. "And you said my house wasn't protected..." Annabeth mumbled, a smug smirk playing her face.

Percy was in far too good a mood to be affected by the comment. He unlocked the door with a satisfying click and kicked it open.

The scent of bug spray and sunblock filled Percy's nostrils and he smiled nostalgically. He set down him and Annabeth's bags on the floor by the front door and ran into the small house.

He spread his arms wide open and turned in a slow circle. "Home, Sweet Home, Annabeth."

His eyes caught hers to see them shooting around the place in interest. She moved her hand through the air. "Shit, Percy. It's _heated_."

Percy nodded enthusiastically and reached for a light switch. It flickered to life, dimly lighting the room. "This, too."

Annabeth's grin would've been enough to light up the whole cabin. "You were right. It is perfect," she stated in disbelief.

The dark-haired teenager threw himself into the bed and reached for the T.V. remote. "Oh, television. How I've missed you so."

With a dry look, she retorted, "We've been gone for the weekend, Percy... You'd never last out here by yourself." Though, her face was still warm and happy.

"I won't argue that. It's probably true."

Laughing, the blonde sat on the bed next to him. She snuggled into his side as Percy channel surfed. "I can't believe our luck," she muttered.

He wrapped an arm tight around her waist, kissing her temple. "We're unstoppable. I'd like to see that damn Octavian find this place."

She didn't say anything, but ran a hand through his unruly hair. He hummed in appreciation. His fingers stopped pushing the keys of the remote as he reveled in the feeling of her.

Suddenly, he heard a sharp voice ring out through the room. It was coming from the T.V.

"_...Eighteen-year-old Perseus Jackson, and seventeen-year-old Anna Henry have not been seen since Friday, where their peers claimed they attended school that morning. Sally Jackson, mother of Percy, has allegedly been left a note from the boy. Here she is now, 'Hello, Sally.'"_

Percy's eyes bugged out of his head and he sat up quickly. They were on the news? His mother looked awful. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were puffy and aged looking. Mr. Blofis stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder with a grim expression. Annabeth was quiet as she studied the screen with precise focus.

"_Sally, tell us, what did the note say?"_

Her hands shook, as she pulled the crumpled, lined paper that Percy had left for her, out of her pocket. It was ripped right out of a composition notebook. She cleared her throat before speaking in a shaky voice. _"Mom, I'm so sorry. She's in danger, and I need __to be with __her. We'll be safe, I promise. Please, take care of yourself. Remember that, I love you more than anything. From, Percy."_

Tears pricked at his eyes, but he blinked them away. He had no right to be sad. _"Very mysterious,"_ the newswoman said, _"The girl is Anna, I suppose?"_

Percy's head looked back to his girlfriend. He didn't ever think she'd hear what that note said. Her face was scarily impassive and her eyes never left the screen for a millisecond. He refocused and heard what his mother had to say.

"_...I knew that they were friends, but I didn't even know they were dating. I had never even met her. He always made excuses to keep her hidden. I never understood why. I mean, I knew he had a crush on her, but running away together? It doesn't make sense. Why was she in danger? Why couldn't I have helped them?"_ Sally looked like she was about to start sobbing. Paul jumped in and said that it was enough for the day. Percy silently thanked him.

The news reporter woman with the strong voice began to speak again, _"Teenagers at the high school know more about the couple's relationship. Take a look." _The camera faded and came back in at a clip of two people. One was the creepy girl from the locker room Percy had met a little while back, and what looked to be another news interviewer. _"Tell me about Percy and Anna's relationship."_

The girl's hands were shaking, and she wouldn't make eye contact. She was freaking out. _"I didn't know they would do this. If I had, I wouldn't have done it. I never wanted them to do something this stupid. I didn't know they were that adamant about staying together."_

The reporter tilted his head to the side, _"Could you explain yourself? What do you mean?"_

She backed away from him, tears running from her eyes. _"I feel so guilty. So responsible. I'm a horrible person. He's _here_. He's _looking_ for her. __He's the bad guy. It's all my fault.__"_

The man rolled his eyes and turned his attention towards the camera man, twirling his finger in a round motion near his temple, muttering, '_She's looney.__'_

Holy shit. It was her. He'd have to discuss that with Annabeth, later.

The screen changed again, in it's place was a shot of none other than Jason, Nico, and Reyna. The three looked freaked out. Mostly Jason. Reyna looked calm; almost understanding. The same man as before asked them, _"What can you tell me about Percy and Anna?"_

Jason looked away, _"He liked her from the beginning. All googly eyes, and drool-y __lipped__. They were really good friends and then all the sudden, they were dating."_

Reyna added in, _"Not that we didn't see that one coming. A blind man could have seen their connection." _Nico nodded in agreement, a small smile on his face.

The reporter stepped closer to Reyna, holding his microphone near her mouth, _"Why do you think they ran? Did people not accept them here?"_

She shook her head. _"People didn't accept them, but I would bet my bottom dollar that had nothing to do with their disappearance. Anna and Perce are tougher than that. A few jives and taunts aren't scaring them away."_

All three guys looked at her interestedly. The news man asked, _"Then what do you think made them take off like that?"_

The girl looked at him like he was crazy. _"Isn't it obvious? They're in love. Does there have to be __any more reasoning__?"_

The screen shut out then and Percy had no idea what to think. He was glad that _someone_ understood. Reyna had known from the beginning what they were dealing with.

As he was about to relax back in the bed and take a well-deserved nap, he heard Annabeth gasp, and mutter, '_No_.'

His stare snapped back to the television screen where a guy with shaggy blonde hair was standing next to a reporter with his arms crossed. He looked pissed.

Percy's heart crawled into his throat and his teeth clenched as he recognized the boy from the picture in Annabeth's old room.

Mother Fucker.

Octavian.

Annabeth had moved from the pillows and was now perched at the end of the bed. She was leaning close to the television, listening to every word though her face was still indifferent.

"_What do you think of the teens' disappearance?"_

His eyes were cold, he glared at the reporter as he answered icily, _"I think that when I find that guy, I'm going to wring his —king neck." _A high pitched tone covered his curse.

Percy found his blood boiling and had to restrain himself from attacking the T.V.

The reporter looked at him surprised, _"Do you have a feud with Jackson?"_

Octavian's eyes held no mirth, _"I do __now...__ Now that he's decided to stick his head in my s—."_

The man's eyes widened. _"Does this pertain to Anna, __by any chance__?"_

The shaggy headed boy scoffed. _"It has everything to do with her. He probably kidnapped her for his own sick needs. She's probably struggling against binds as we speak. She isn't his. She's m__i__-"_

Octavian was cut off by a tan fist connecting with his jaw. The camera man stumbled back in shock, but still managed to shoot the scene.

"_That's my son and his girl, you're talking about there, bastard. You stay the hell away from them, you filthy scum."_

Poseidon Jackson stood in the camera's view, looking as intimidating as Percy had ever seen him. His face held disgust and rage and Percy never had more of an urge to hug his dad. Annabeth laughed breathlessly, "Go Poseidon."

Percy couldn't hold back the laugh as Octavian got up quickly and stomped away, but not before adding, in an eerily serious tone, "I'm gonna find them. And, when I do...It won't be pretty." The news show ended there and continued onto some rerun of _Friends_.

Annabeth's joking manner was gone as soon as it came. She switched the T.V. off and turned to him. "...Percy," she started.

He didn't like the tone of her voice. "I don't think I'm gonna like what you have to say."

She shook her head tiredly. "Percy. Your mom. Your cousins."

"Don't," he warned her seriously. "Don't even start with this again. I don't want to hear it, Annabeth."

"Listen to me. You don't have to do this. He knows you now. He's coming for us, but he only really wants me. You can get out before it's too late. You can live a norm-"

She was cut off by Percy's _angry_ yell. That was something reserved for his father, and other times when he was seriously furious. It was not something you wanted to have directed at you. "Dammit, Annabeth! Stop! Are you fucking serious, right now?" His eyes were burning into hers, as he stood up in the heat of passion.

Annabeth's face was hard and tough, although it looked like every word was a poisoned dagger to the heart. "I am completely serious. Why are you doing this to yourself? No, why are you letting me do this to you?" She shouted at him.

His face was burning red in anger and frustration. "_Jesus Christ_! Would you just stop blaming yourself for once?! This isn't about me _or_ you! This is about us! Me and you, together!"

Her voice was suddenly calm, and solemn, she closed her eyes. "One day, you'll resent me for ruining your life."

Percy faltered. The fury was dissipating into a painful kind of longing. A longing for her to just _understand_. After long minutes of silence, he ground out slowly, only slightly mad from before, "That life means nothing, without you. I don't _want_ it, if you're not there."

The blonde's head lifted up, and he could see the tears slowly start escaping. She looked so beat. He couldn't even hold the anger in at her anymore.

His feet brought him closer to her, thinking by themselves. Percy gripped her chin and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Annabeth. I can't leave you. Please, _please_ don't ask me, again."

He wiped the tears from her cheek and situated himself on the bed next to her. "Alright," she whispered.

The boy moved back until his back hit the headboard and pulled Annabeth into his lap. He held her face to his chest and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Percy," she murmured, snuggling her face deeper into his shirt. "I'm sorry for that."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." He hated to lose his temper. Especially at Annabeth. In his eyes, she rarely did things wrong, but he was getting really scared that she was going to leave him in the middle of the night or something.

His girlfriend smiled and sat up to give him a small kiss. "I think I need to be put in place every once in a while," she smirked, "Plus, you're really hot when you're angry."

Percy let out a throaty laugh and the tension from their previous conversation was slowly dissolved.

Ω

**Thank you for reading and I really hope you liked this chapter. Sorry, I made them fight. But, I like to add the little bit of tension between them. It's not going to be completely starstruck in love _all_ the time. And they made up just as quick!**

**Tell me if you think the fight feels too rushed.**

**I personally had no idea I was going to have Poseidon crack Octavian's jaw, but I think I like it. I didn't want Octavian finishing that sentence and it was either Poseidon or Percy. Seeing as how Percy was in Montauk... Well. Yeah.**

**If you have any questions, you can ask them. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Love is so weird. __It can happen so quickly. So fearlessly. It sucks you into __this beautiful oblivion, that you don't ever want to escape..._**"**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

**Warning: This chapter is rated M. Consider viewer discretion. If you'd like to know what happens, but don't wish to read through it, scroll to the bottom author's note, and I'll explain it modestly. Also, the first part of the chapter is innocent enough. I'll put a warning in when things get heavier.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twenty**

The past few days on the run had been extremely stressful.

Percy and Annabeth had arrived at the cabin only a few hours ago, and were lying around, doing nothing. It felt good after all the moving around they did.

After their little 'fight,' Percy felt slightly guilty. Maybe he shouldn't have jumped at her like that. He had been so scared that she was going to do something rash and unnecessary, just because of a stupid newscast.

Annabeth walked up to Percy from where she was at the kitchenette. He was unpacking their things into the dressers and trying to make things more homey. He wasn't going to lie, he was really excited about coming here and in less than a half an hour, they were at each other's throats after watching very sucky television.

"Perce," Annabeth said.

He hummed in acknowledgment, as she came to sit right next to him by the dresser. "We need food. I'm going to the store for something quick, okay? Probably just enough for the night and tomorrow morning. Then, I'll go again tomorrow to get the real shopping done."

Percy pursed his lips uncomfortably. "I don't really like you going out by yourself. Can I come with you?"

She sighed, but there was a ghost of a smile on her face. He knew she liked it when he showed his care for her. "If you really want. That's fine."

Standing up, he brushed off his jeans, "Yes, I really want. Let's go."

…

They had just returned back to the cabin from the grocery store they were able to walk to. It was extremely small, but had enough for them to buy something for dinner and the next day's breakfast. Annabeth said she wanted to go back tomorrow to get toiletries and other groceries.

"I'm going to take a shower," she told him, heading for the small bathroom.

He nodded at her and proceeded to flop on the bed. She must have heard it, because she chuckled from across the room, closing the door to the washroom.

Yawning, he discarded his shirt and threw it on the floor. He leaned back against the headboard, closing his eyes. The last few days had been so stressful, his body was screaming for him to just fucking eat a cookie or something.

He listened as the shower turned on and felt comfort that she was safe and cared for. Never, could he have imagined loving this girl so much. He may have been crushing on her from the start, but how could anyone have foresaw this?

While he waited for his girlfriend to get out of the shower, he let his mind wander.

A week ago, Percy was a senior in high school. Now, he was a runaway, along with his girlfriend of little more than a week.

He should have been out partying, and 'enjoying' life. Maybe that's what Annabeth meant when she says 'you're giving up everything,' or 'you're ruining your life.'

Why? Why was it ruining his life, if he was happy to be with her? He knew for a fact that if he had – for some reason – stayed behind, he would have been a mess. He wouldn't be able to sleep. He wouldn't be talking to other people. He'd be out of his mind with worry.

Sure, he was giving up a lot, but every time he thought of it, he couldn't find the will to regret anything.

Him and Annabeth had a bond that Percy didn't even think could exist before. It was hard to imagine love without ever seeing it. In his life, the only love he ever had was from his mother. And of course he loved her back, but it was so much different from Annabeth.

Love is so weird.

It can happen so quickly. So fearlessly. It sucks you into this beautiful oblivion, that you don't ever want to escape.

It can grab hold of anyone it wants to, and throw them into a hurricane of intense emotions. It can break rules, and destroy structures. It changes everything.

When he was with Annabeth, nothing ever seemed to matter. Not the fact that they were in a terrifying situation, or that they could be caught by a crazed lunatic any moment. She was like nothing he'd ever dreamed of.

Some people may call love a curse, but with Annabeth, it was a saccharine blessing.

He didn't know how long he sat there, contemplating the meaning of love, but after what seemed like just a few minutes, Annabeth left the bathroom.

Closing the door behind her, she strolled into the bedroom, clinging onto the towel that was currently the only barrier between her bare body and Percy's eyes.

The boy couldn't help but to stare at her. She was so incredibly, ridiculously, painfully beautiful.

She gave him a small smile, as she walked over to the dresser and began digging for clothes.

Her back was facing him, as she reached up to grab her lotion on the top of the dresser. The towel around her body shifted and the back dipped down below her ribs.

Percy was already studying her with a centralized focus. When the towel slipped, his eye caught on something red and jagged.

About two inches of the skin on her back was marked with a severe scar. It slid horizontally across her ribs and looked absolutely painful.

His feet were off the bed before he could even process what it was.

He grabbed her sides and tugged her to get a better look of the mark. Annabeth gasped in shock and tried to turn around.

Her eyebrows drew together, as she asked, "What are you doing?"

Percy's gaze was hard, as he turned her around again. His fingers ghosted over the scar and she shivered. "What is this?"

Her blush spread from her cheeks to the tops of her breasts, as she answered. "Octavian."

His hands released her and moved into his hair to yank on it sharply. Then, they fell to cover his face while he rubbed it with barely contained anger. The nails of his fingers were making red marks on his skin, but he didn't care.

She reached to grab his hands to stop their assault to his face. Her other hand was clutching the towel.

He opened his eyes to stare into hers. The stormy gray irises, once again, were shifting to a delicate silver color.

"How did it happen?" he muttered, holding her gaze, but wanting desperately to examine the scar again.

Shakily, her hand rubbed the affected flesh. "He had me cornered. He tried to stab, but I jerked and it just ran across my back."

Percy shook his head, not wanting to believe a word of the truth that was so excruciating. "He almost got you?" he whispered, close to inaudibly.

She only nodded in response. Carefully watching him, trying to figure out what was going on in his head.

He couldn't even explain what he felt. How had he not known about this? There was this agonizing straining in his chest and he felt like he might be sick. "Are there any more?" He inquired, needing to know. His hands were shaking, as he moved a wet piece of hair out of her face.

"The only other major one, is the one on my thigh, that I told you about already," she said, while her hand moved to her left thigh that was covered by her towel.

"Can I see it?" He was hesitant to ask, but he _needed_ this. He couldn't explain why.

Annabeth was silent for about a minute. She stared at him with such intensity, he had no idea what she was thinking. Just as he thought she wouldn't show him, she did.

Deliberately, she dropped her towel to the floor.

Percy's breath left him entirely, as she stood in front of him, completely exposed.

It was impossible for his eyes to stay on her face, they wandered about her. Taking in every detail.

Her body was a canvas. The most stunning piece of art work that he had ever laid eyes on.

His eyes met hers again and he could see her trying to mask her nervousness. Taking a deep breath to control himself, he spoke to her in unconcealed awe. "You are so beautiful."

She softly let out a breath of air and pulled him to sit on the bed. She reached for his fingers and moved them to trace the scar on her thigh.

He studied it carefully, which was hard, because he was touching Annabeth's naked form.

Percy's imagination did not do her body justice. She was so much more perfect, than he ever even thought possible. His mouth was dry, when he curled his hand in hers.

**(Rating is changing. Discretion advised.)**

"Percy," she murmured softly. Her voice, combined with the situation was having a great affect on him. He loved hearing his name on her lips.

Tentatively, Annabeth took their tangled hands and moved them up her body until they were at her stomach. Percy's eyes widened, as they traveled up higher to the ribs just below her perfect bust.

"Percy," she whispered again, this time advancing his palm to her left breast.

He was sure that this had to be a dream. The flesh was warm and soft under his hold, and it was nothing short of a utopia.

"A-Annabeth?" he mentally cursed himself for stuttering. This could not be happening. How could this be real?

"Shh," she hushed him, as she pressed her lips to his.

He was so shocked, he couldn't even move his mouth with hers.

"Please, touch me," she breathed against his lips.

A wave of courage washed over him, as he heard his girlfriend plead him to feel her. Slowly, he rubbed his palm around her supple chest and kissed her softly.

His pants felt tight, as she moved her bare leg over his lap and pushed him back. She was straddling him as she bent down to kiss him once more.

Percy used his free hand to knot into her half-dried curls, while the other still worked her soft mounds. She moaned quietly into his mouth and he could feel the desire bubbling in every cell in his body. She was so tempting.

Her mouth moved to his neck and Percy was panting. Was this supposed to feel this good? It was sinful, and _oh so_ glorious.

Annabeth's hands moved down to the waist band of his sweat pants, "Is this okay?" she breathed.

His mouth felt dry and his heart was beating much too fast. "Annabeth, hold on. Are you sure about this?" He questioned. He didn't know if he could stop after his pants came off.

"Entirely," she mumbled onto the skin of his neck. He felt her hand dip under his waist band and he gasped, his face on fire with a bright blush.

The only thing keeping him from believing that this was all just a dream, was that his imagination couldn't have come up with anything this great.

She massaged him and he couldn't suppress noises any longer. He groaned throatily.

Swiftly, she attacked his lips again and they were kissing with a heated passion.

The blonde's hand moved out of his pants, only to place them on top, and push them down his legs. He kicked the cloth off and silently thanked himself for removing his shirt before she came out. That would have been an obstacle.

He found the confidence to flip them over, and hover above her. She was surprised, and the silver of her iris had morphed into a darker shade, clouded with lust. Her eyes were hungry.

Percy hesitated before moving inside of her legs. He had never been with anyone before. Though, he was sure he loved Annabeth, and if he wanted to lose himself to anyone, it would be her, a thousand times over. And he wanted to do this with her – like, a lot.

But what he was concerned about, was her. Was she going to be okay with this? Would she regret it? It wasn't her first time, and the last times didn't end up so well for her. He wouldn't be able to stand it, if something like sex ruined their relationship. Because, they were _so much _more than that.

Annabeth bucked her hips against his and a moan slipped from his mouth. _Oh God_.

She pulled her head up close to his, her hands wrapped around his neck. "I want this," she whispered, nudging her nose with his. "Please."

He couldn't deny her, or himself any longer. He didn't have enough restraint to stop himself at this point.

Slowly, he shifted in between her thighs, and carefully collided his hips with hers.

There aren't words for the feeling. It was unexplainable.

Percy smoothly rocked himself in between her legs and she was making noises that had his blush darkening. He had never heard these kind of sounds coming out of her mouth. It made his brain feel like it was on overload. _Shit._

Time blended together. He was so lost in the moment; he was so focused on her. Every touch felt like his own personal nirvana on his excited nerves. Every movement had his head spinning in pleasure.

Sweat glistened on his forehead and he bit his lip, as he squeezed the pillows next to her head – trying to refrain from holding onto her hips with bruising force. His mind could hardly register that he was being _intimate_ with Annabeth. He never could have saw this coming. They were making _out_ yesterday, and making _love_ today.

Her hair smelled of the familiar lemon-scented shampoo, and it had almost had Percy sighing in content. The smell was so _her_. Tangy and mouth-watering.

Wherever her skin met his felt like electricity. His body felt like it was in overdrive. He watched her breathe heavily, looking into his eyes, with obvious passion. Everything felt so fucking _right_.

As her nails raked down his back, she called out his name, repeatedly. He couldn't even feel the pain of the scratches. Her eyelids fluttered shut, as she reached her peak. It had to be the sexiest thing he had seen in his entire life.

The tension in his lower stomach was tightening. Arousal coursed through his blood and he felt himself release with her.

There was a moment when time stopped entirely. The only thing that existed was her warm skin moving against him. He knew he would never meet an experience more divine than making love to Annabeth Chase.

Breathing heavily, he collapsed on top of her and snuggled his face into her neck once, before moving to roll off. As he tried to shift, her arms shot around him, holding him there. "Please, don't move."

"I'm crushing you," he chuckled, amused.

She smiled at him in adoration and just squeezed him tighter. "But, you feel so good..."

Dipping his head to kiss her sweetly, he whispered on her face, "I love you."

He felt her grin, as she breathed the same words back.

He rubbed her cheek tenderly and to Annabeth's displeasure, rolled off of her. (He didn't want to squash her with his weight, whether she liked it or not.) But he quickly moved to pull her into his side snugly.

Her head rested on his chest and she could probably hear his thumping heart. His arm wrapped around her warm torso. Burying his face into her sweet smelling curls, the two fell into their sleep with smiles gracing their mouths.

Ω

**We all saw that coming right? Sorry if I freaked you out or didn't write it right, but I had many'a requests. I know it doesn't say anything about a condom, or any other contraceptive, but honestly, I couldn't put it in, because I wanted it all to be unexpected to them. If they prepared for it, then what fun is the surprise? I wanted Percy to have no idea it was going to happen. So, let's just assume they got lucky, and Annabeth is not pregnant. She won't be getting pregnant in this story. Her life is fucked up enough, you know?**

**P.S. I blushed like a damn tomato, writing this chapter. I haven't written something _this _out there. Only slightly. Hehe**

**IF YOU DID NOT READ:**

**Basically, they decide to go to the grocery store, come back, and Annabeth takes a shower. When she gets out of the shower, she accidentally exposes the skin of her back to Percy, showing him the scar. He gets all messed up about it. And Annabeth bravely seduces him. They get intimate and seem to be rather content with their choice.**

**Thanks for reading, everyone. All questions are accepted. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Percy was quiet for a few seconds, before he whispered, __'__This is everything I__'ve__ ever wanted...__'_**"**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Annabeth woke up grinning.

Last night, she and Percy slept together. No, they _made love_.

Her heart was swooning, as she looked up to his still sleeping face. She felt her cheeks heat up, and her stomach roll around at the memories.

The image of his naked body above her flew across her vision. She could almost still feel his soft caress. Watching him let go was burned into the back of her eyelids; she never wanted to forget it.

She had never felt this way before. It was an entirely new experience, and _so_ incredibly great. It felt like she was losing her virginity again. It felt real and intimate, and she just wanted to wake Percy up to kiss him again.

Not surprisingly, she wished that last night had been her first time. It was Percy's first time, and that made her elated to know that she had a part of him that no one else got.

It was so different from Octavian. She could finally understand why sex was so great to everyone else. How did people ever get enough of it? When did they learn to control their desires? If Octavian felt this way when they were together, she could almost understand why he went crazy. _Almost_.

Still grinning, she snuggled impossibly closer to her lover. She didn't see his eyelids flutter open and look down at her, instantly.

When she raised her head to look at his face again, she was met with a pair of strong green eyes. The smile on her face formed involuntarily. She ducked her chin down to hide her blush.

Percy's sleepy hand came to hold her chin, and move it back to face him. "Good morning, love." He pressed a lazy kiss to her nose.

She just felt so happy. It was so peculiar. "Morning," she giggled, nudging foreheads.

Annabeth didn't think that her and Percy's bond, could get any stronger, but _Boy_, was she wrong.

His eyes showed the same happiness she felt, until seriousness fell onto his features. "No regrets, right?"

She shook her head very slightly. Calmly she answered, "Never." She stilled as a thought struck her. "_You_ don't regret anything, do you?"

He widened his eyes, and jumped to respond, "No! Definitely not!"

Chuckling a little, she felt relieved. "Good, because yesterday was... the best night of my life."

Percy was quiet for a few seconds, before he whispered, "This is everything I've ever wanted."

Lifting her head up again, she gave him a questioning glance. His expression was warm, and full of tender emotion, as his fingers loosely played with one of her curls. He just shook his head and told her, "Everything's perfect. Exactly how I hoped it would be. Maybe, even better."

She laughed, "You think our first time being together was perfect, even though we're currently trying to hide from my demonic ex-boyfriend while living in a cabin the size of your old bathroom?"

She was only joking, but his face bloomed into something thoughtful and caring. "I think of it more as losing myself to someone that I'm deeply in love with, in the old cabin I have good memories of, from when I was just a kid. Then, having the first thing I wake up to, is her beautiful smiling face, and to luckily find out that she doesn't regret anything. I couldn't have asked for more."

Shaking her head, she gazed at him affectionately, "How do you always find a way to make light of a situation?"

He shrugged, while looking away sheepishly.

"Let's add that to the list of reasons I love you so much." She sat up and reached for the sheet to cover her still exposed body. Wrapping the thin cloth around her body, she shuffled out of bed.

Percy's eyes stayed on her like a spotlight. She could feel his gaze on her with intensity. For some reason, she didn't feel uncomfortable with it. It was almost like she felt warm inside that he liked to look at her the way she looked at him. 

She grabbed his navy blue T-shirt off the floor and slipped it over her head. Padding into the kitchen, she assembled a breakfast of toaster waffles for the two of them.

Percy followed into the kitchenette, shortly after the smell wafted around the shack. He had slipped on some boxers, before approaching her from behind and wrapping his arms around her waist.

She had been fixing the waffles on paper plates, as he picked her up and spun her around. Squealing and laughing, she yelled at him to put her down. "Percy, if you plan on eating breakfast, then you better let me go!"

His smirk turned mischievous, (Not that she could see from her current position in the air) as he repeated, "_'But, __you feel so good__.'_"

Annabeth's cheeks heated in realization. She said those words to him last night. Spinning around in his arms, she felt embarrassed for the first time that morning. "Are you making fun of me?" She asked.

"No! Believe me, it was so fucking cute when you said that," he poked at her red cheek. "I just like to see you get flustered. It's seriously adorable."

She scoffed, and slapped his arm playfully. "Smug asshole." Her attempt at an insult was weak, as Percy just laughed and cooed, while pinching her still-red cheeks.

"You know what, last night, you were pretty pink-faced yourself," she submitted, grinning as his face heated once again. "Now, who's getting all flustered?"

"Oh, shut up," he mumbled, grabbing the paper plate and sitting down with it. She followed his example and ate her breakfast beside him.

Ω

Percy and Annabeth were sitting in the small bedroom, watching some documentary about the Flatiron Building in New York. (Obviously not his choice, but whatever.)

Annabeth was sitting in between his legs, and leaned back into his chest. They were so comfortable together, Percy loved it.

When he thought back to last night, he couldn't believe that it happened. A large part of his brain was starting to believe it was a dream. It happened so suddenly. Not that he was complaining. He was practically sitting on cloud nine.

Percy didn't even know it was possible to become closer to Annabeth, but after last night... there weren't words. But something definitely changed. Either slightly – or dramatically, he didn't know.

All he knew was that, somehow, someway, he was in love with her even more than before. Which shouldn't have been possible, considering the fact that she was pretty much his life, then and now.

She turned around to talk to him, smiling as she met his eyes. _God, she's so beautiful_, Percy thought to himself. "We still need to go back to the store."

For some odd reason, his body stiffened. He didn't like the idea at all and he found himself diving into _overprotective boyfriend mode_, as Annabeth liked to call it.

He didn't know what it could be that had him so over the edge. She said 'we.' It wasn't like she was planning to go without him. But there was the problem. He didn't want her to go at all.

Yeah, it sounds bad, and possessive. But it was so dangerous out in the real world. She could get seriously hurt. Especially in her situation. And what if Percy wasn't able to help her? What if he couldn't save her in time? It was much safer in the cabin.

Annabeth, sensing his discomfort, continued, "We need more food... and other essentials."

He had to do quick thinking. He was scared of her leaving the shack. He felt bad about that, but he just wanted to keep her hidden away from all the dangers of the outside world. "How about I just go by myself?" Her face turned to something indignant, and he rushed to amend his question. "I mean, so you can rest. You look so tired."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she studied his face. "What's this _really_ about, Percy?" Damn, she knew him too well.

"Nothing, I'd just like to go by myself, that's all," he tried, nonchalantly.

In her eyes, he could see that she began to understand. Realization seemed to bloom on her face as she nodded. "Right," she muttered. Smirking, she spoke to him, "Perce, you are aware that this trip is for – not only food – but for other items that we need? Such as tampons."

At his surprised and embarrassed expression, she chuckled, "Do you really want to go to the store by yourself, and have people watch you buy tampons without a girl with you?"

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "So, you caught me," he stated.

"You can't keep me safe every second of the day, Love. It's a part of life." Annabeth twisted around a little more to press a sweet kiss to his cheek.

He hung his head low, "I'm getting to become too protective."

Laughing, she replied, "Not that the gesture isn't completely sweet! I love how you care so much. And it's nothing new. You've always been too protective."

Percy rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's just go."

…

They walked to the small store near the cabin. It didn't have much in it. If they didn't find what they need here, then they would have to go back into the city, another day.

Annabeth moved through the store quickly, and Percy followed behind her with the cart. Every now and then, she'd place something into it. Mostly canned foods and other non-perishables. When he asked her about it, she said something like, "The less grocery trips, the better. These last longer."

They picked up the before mentioned tampons, and Annabeth laughed at the discomfort on her boyfriend's face, as he tried to move out of the aisle as quickly as possible. But sadly, his girlfriend liked to make him squirm.

"Hold your horses, Seaweed Brain," she chuckled, stopping next to something placed to the right of the feminine hygiene products.

He went over to have a look at what she was considering...and blushed.

Condoms.

Clearing his throat, he muttered, "Good idea."

She was smiling, like watching him so out of his element was funny. Grabbing a box, she turned it around to examine it, mumbling a very silent, "Haven't had to buy these in a while..."

He tried to ignore that comment, as it just made him think, _very_ cruel thoughts. Mostly, involving the spontaneous combustion of Octavian's penis.

Annabeth dropped a box into the cart, and Percy caught a glimpse of the price. "Fifteen bucks?!"

Much to his confusion, her face lit up in a blush. She breathed out a quiet, "They cost more when the size is bigger."

Percy dropped the subject, due to his extreme mortification.

…

The couple made it back to the house unscathed, but tired out.

Luckily, Annabeth wasn't harmed. (Plus, Percy didn't have to carry all the bags home, with her there.)

His dad's debit card was safe in Annabeth's pocket, and they dropped all the groceries onto the small counter. They quickly put everything away.

"I'm not going back to that store. The hike is killing my calves," Percy said, rubbing his sore muscles.

Annabeth smirked, "What, my big, strong captain of the hockey team can't handle a little walk?"

He feigned hurt, and pulled her into the comfort of the bed. "I'd like to think that carrying bagfuls of groceries at least a mile on an uphill trail would be considered more tedious than hockey practice."

"Hmm," she hummed, "You've got a point."

"I always do," he told her, while snuggling his head into her neck.

The blonde scoffed, "I beg to differ."

"Whatever," Percy shrugged off, knowing she was right. "It's time to sleep now. I'm fucking tired, and I know you're exhausted."

She huffed indignantly, "It's not even ten o'clock yet. And, I'm not tired."

Percy hushed his girlfriend. "Annabeth, be quiet and go to sleep."

Flicking his ear, she smirked. Though, she did snuggle into his side, appreciative for his comfort. Her legs tangled into Percy's, as she got herself situated. Yawning, she hugged her arms around his torso and mumbled, "Night."

Moving the fallen curls out of her face, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, "Sweet dreams, Annabeth."

The tiniest of smiles graced her lips as she fell asleep.

Percy took the time to study her. As creepy as it sounded, over the times that Percy had watched Annabeth sleep, he learned that he liked to do it a lot.

It wasn't a weird kind of watching, he just liked to see her so at peace. He liked to see her when she didn't have a care in the world.

The moments when Annabeth didn't have to remember the evils of her life, were the moments Percy cherished. He wanted her to be able to forget.

Her breathing was slow and rhythmic. It calmed him. It was like a soothing song, to hear her alive and breathing.

The worry lines still held in her face. Shades of lilac bloomed under her eyes from lack of sleep.

He craned his neck down and kissed each light bruise. Hoping to brush away her obvious exhaustion.

She was so beautiful and strong. She had been through so much in her life, it wasn't fair. He wanted to lift every burden from her shoulders and take them himself, if he could.

Why was she cursed with so much horror? A seventeen year old girl shouldn't be running for her life from a crazy ex-boyfriend.

He hated that he thought that she'd be better off as pregnant or something.

Wasn't that how most teenage girls were punished for sex? They got pregnant in high school, and would show up fat to prom? Definitely not stalked...

Why did Annabeth get it so much worse? He knew for a fact that she was a better person than a lot of those teenage girls out there.

His questions would never be answered, which was sad. He had to focus on keeping her protected and loved. He wanted to give her the world. So, it wouldn't be hard to give her something as easy as love.

Ω

**Took forever to write! Like three days! Most chapters I start after school, and finish by the end of the night. (Doesn't include editing, though. - That's a tedious process. Each chapter gets revised, like, four times.)**

**Anyone that I've been talking with on kik, I'm sorry that I haven't replied. But I had my phone taken away, so I won't be messaging back for a while. I'm sorry! :(**

**Thanks for reading, I hope you are enjoying, as we are coming close to the end. Ask questions, if you have them. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_It felt undiscovered, and fragile at first. __B__ut now, it was strong, and understood. Like everything that happened, turned them from delicate crystal, to unyielding diamond..._**"**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Percy woke up earlier than usual.

The weirdest part was that Annabeth wasn't even awake yet. Early morning glow filtered through the small windows, but it was still considerably dark out. He could hear the soft patter of rain outside, which told him the temperature was starting to rise.

They had been in the cabin for a little over a week. It was early March, and he was waking up cuddled together with his girlfriend.

He released his hold on the beautiful blonde girl and silently shuffled out of the bed to use the bathroom.

After washing his hands, he proceeded into the bedroom to put on some clothes. He was only wearing a pair of black boxer briefs, so he was feeling a bit chilly. His eyes were sleepy and he stumbled as he walked through the door.

Quietly digging through the dresser for clothes, Percy's eye caught on something. A small shape of brown leather could be seen peeking out from Annabeth's underwear drawer.

_Good boyfriends don't go through their girlfriend's stuff_, he reminded himself. It looked to be a journal. He didn't even know she had one.

He only stood their for about a minute, staring at the book in her drawer, before curiosity got the best of him and he grabbed it and ran for the bathroom.

Locking the door, he sat on the side of the bathtub and studied the book. It was dark brown with a little cord keeping it closed. Inscribed at the bottom right corner of the cover was the initials _AC, _carved into the leather.

Gingerly, he opened the book to the first page.

"_...__So, I'm not entirely sure why my father gave this to me for my seventeenth birthday. Especially compared to the car I got last year, it falls slightly...flat."_

Percy flipped through the first few pages, talking about her life with her friend Rachel, and _boyfriend_ Octavian. He cringed at the term.

And then the words, "_...I have to end this before it's too late. It's already taken me too long to get to this point. But, I know that I don't truly love him..." _stuck out to him. She was talking about leaving Octavian. After this page, the entries got...darker.

"_...__I haven't even eaten in two days. I'm damn hungry. I haven't been to a grocery store in days. I'm too afraid to go out. What if he finds me in the store? But, if I don't go, I'll probably end up starving in this damn shed."_

He choked audibly. Two days? God, he didn't know about any of this stuff. He was honestly scared to keep reading, but there was nothing he could do to stop himself. He couldn't _not_ keep going.

"_I got mugged today. Seriously? As if I had enough __supplies __for __myself__ in the first place. Luckily, I didn't have my money on me. They just took my groceries. Fucking great..."_

Mugged? He was starting to feel a little light-headed. _Shit_, this journal held all the answers. He was also beginning to feel a sense of sympathy for Annabeth...and respect. Not that he hadn't before. She's just been through so much on her own. She has hid, fought, and ran, not at all knowing if things were going to work out in the end. People could idolize her.

"_...He'd had enough and slashed a whole in my back. There was blood everywhere. The pain was unbearable. It felt like a white-hot pole was being scalded into the back of my ribs..."_

Percy closed the book quickly and took in deep breaths. It felt like going into overload. It was too much. He was stuck between running up to Annabeth and squeezing her in a hug so tight that she couldn't see. Or, going postal, and looking for Octavian to...to poke his fucking eyes out with a greasy plastic fork, or something just as painful and embarrassing.

The boy opened the book once more to look at the most recent entry.

"_...And I didn't know anyone could even be capable of loving someone as much as I love him. It almost feels like, if I were ever to lose him, nothing could ever be the same. I'm in so deep that the thought of a future without him doesn't even seem like a future worth living. He said something similar once. I understand what he means. It hurts to be without him. I just love him... so God damn much..."_

Slowly, he hugged the book across his bare chest. The last page did something to him. It was one thing for Annabeth to tell him she loved him. It was entirely different, to read it upon her deepest and most personal thoughts.

It was always clear how he felt for her. He knew that he loved her. But _this_. This made things feel..._real_ for a second. It had been like he was living some crazy dream, dozing off in class and soon he'd wake up to Mr. Birdie's annoyed voice, telling him he had detention. But now it was reality. Everything hit him in that second, and honestly, it was a good feeling.

In school, being used as the pretty boy that didn't really mean anything to anyone, he didn't feel loved. He felt desired, yes. But never loved. Sure, his mother had loved him, but she deserved so much more. His father abandoned him and his mother, because of his birth. From the start, love didn't come easy to Percy.

Annabeth's love for him was like being able to breathe for the first time. It felt undiscovered and fragile at first. But now it was strong and understood. Like everything that happened, turned them from delicate crystal, to unyielding diamond.

He knew that Annabeth loved him. It wasn't new. Though it was, sometimes, hard to understand how a goddess like herself could love someone like him. That was not to say he didn't appreciate it, because he did. He just felt so blessed that he was able to find someone that made him into something more than just a boy. She made him who he was. She made him Percy Jackson.

At that moment, a clap of thunder disturbed his reverie. He jumped in his skin. When did it start to thunderstorm? Being brought back into reality, he figured he should put her book back before she woke up and saw him.

She probably wouldn't get too mad, but she definitely wouldn't have _wanted_ him to read it. She would also be disappointed that he hadn't come to her personally. And... she possibly might have been embarrassed at some of the things she wrote.

The bedroom was considerably darker when he came back in. Looking outside the windows, he could see the angry storm clouds undulating through the sky. The color reminded him of Annabeth's lustful eyes. Dark with desire.

As he carefully folded the journal under her intimate wear, the room lit up in a bright white light. Only seconds later, a peal of thunder reverberated against the walls.

Annabeth shot up from her bed and looked around frantically, feeling around the mattress as if looking for something. Percy only realized she was searching for his body, after she yelled out for him. "Percy?!"

He ran to the bed, "I'm right here. I'm right here." She visibly relaxed as she looked to the far side of the room, out the window.

"Where did this come from? It wasn't even sprinkling last night." He could barely make out her form in the dark atmosphere, but he could see her eyebrows knitting together in thought.

Once again, there was a blaze of intense light and Annabeth pulled him into the bed, squeezing him close to her. He might have joked about her reaction if he hadn't been so freaked out himself. As the explosion of thunder followed the lightning, he felt a sense of foreboding bubble inside of him.

The storm was some kind of warning that danger was to come. Especially this storm; it was intense, and frightening, and came out of nowhere.

"Shit," Annabeth muttered, obviously having the same thoughts as Percy. "I'm getting that feeling again, Percy."

His posture straightened as he fell into _overprotective boyfriend mode_. "What feeling?" he asked as the lightning hit the room again. He knew the feeling, he just didn't want to believe it.

"The one I got on the day we left. That sense of being in danger. The feeling that we're not safe," she told him grimly.

Percy didn't want to believe that Octavian could be back. How could he have found them? They were hidden so well. Things were finally picking up for them.

"You're safe when you're with me," he stated. He was going to protect her from anything that bastard Octavian was going to throw at them.

She nudged her nose against his neck, squeezing his hand. "I know that," she whispered softly.

Percy refused to believe that he could have found them. It was impossible. Nobody knew they were here. Annabeth was just misinterpreting her feelings that she got from the freak thunderstorm. That _had_ to be it.

"We're going to be okay," he declared. "We're together and that's all that matters right now."

Sighing, she leaned her head on his shoulder, "You're right."

…

The boisterous storm was lasting all day. Percy looked out the window to see the huge waves crashing heavily on the sand. Fishermen were desperately trying to tie down their boats before they floated away. Trees were blowing around wildly and there weren't any animals in sight.

Annabeth was heating up some tomato soup in a small pot over the stove, while Percy watched the events outside. The downpour was obviously as unexpected to everyone else, as it was to them.

Percy walked into the small living room area, if it could be called that. It just had a small loveseat and recliner, as well as a land-line telephone hanging from the wall. Him and Annabeth didn't spend too much time in here.

He sat heavily on the dusty couch that smelled of sunscreen. Rubbing his face tiredly, he studied the space. There wasn't much to do in here. But it reminded him of his mom. She liked to write in this room, probably due to the big window that had a nice view of the surf.

His gaze involuntarily shifted to the phone on the wall. Sally would probably be at work right now, considering that it was close to five at night.

He tried to force the idea out of his head. He _couldn't_ call his mother.

But maybe he could.

He could just leave a message, telling her that he was okay. She would want that; _need_ it, probably.

Staggering up, he slowly made his way in front of the old telephone. His hands were shaking with anxiety, as he clicked in the familiar number of his old home. It rang all the way through to the answering machine, luckily.

His own low voice sounded through the ear-piece.

"_Hey, you've __reached the Jackson's. If it's important, leave a message._"

The boy rolled his eyes at his own lack of subtlety. A tone dinged, signaling that he was being recorded.

"Hi mom. It's Percy..."

"Uh, I just called to let you know that we're alright. We're safe, and doing fine..." he hesitated, before adding, "I saw you on the news... God, mom, I feel guilty. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. That I didn't tell you about her. That I didn't introduce her to you. That I left you..."

"But, I had to. I know that I've put you through hell these past couple weeks. Please, try to understand, though... I love her. _So_ much. It's gotten to the point where I'm sure that it's unhealthy. But truthfully, I can't even say that I care about that – Being in too deep, I mean."

"When all this is over – which I'm sure, one day it might be – I'd like you to meet her. She's great, mom, she really is. Her name is Annabeth, and... she's like a pearl among all other clams. – Sorry for the ocean-y reference, but you know me." he chuckled, before continuing. "I love you, mom. Please, try to feel better, okay?... Bye."

Percy hung the phone with a small click. He slumped against the wall. Maybe that was a bad idea. He just missed her even more now.

"Percy, soup's done!"

Hearing Annabeth's voice was a reminder of what he was doing this for. It was for them. And missing his mom was worth it. Sally would feel better one day and Percy could be with the woman he loved. His mother could start a better life with Paul and everyone could be happy.

Walking into the kitchen, he smiled at his girlfriend. Her hair was slipping into her face as she ladled tomato soup into two green, plastic bowls. The curls framed her face as she looked up at him and smiled back.

"I hope you're hungry, because I made way too much," she told him, laughing lightly. She pushed the hair out of her face and stretched her arms out.

He was staring at her, he knew, but he couldn't help it. "Yeah, I could eat."

Sitting down with her, he began to imagine that they were older, married, sitting in their own house after a long day at work. She would tell him, how her boss was a sexist asshole, and Percy would remind her that she was the best damn architect her company would ever see. And one day, she'll take the world by storm.

The teenager smiled at the thought. Sometimes, he wanted to believe a positive future wasn't so far out of reach.

Ω

**Okay, guys. I know that rainy weather doesn't really happen yet in March (in New York, at least.) But I wanted it to be thunderstormy, for the forebode-y-ness. That's not a word and I know it.**

**Thank you for reading this chapter. (It's a little short – sorry.) We're getting kind of close to the end and it makes me a bit sad. It'll be weird not writing this story everyday after school. (Though, I wrote this last Saturday. On May 3rd.) I hope you liked it. Next Chapter is a bit of a surprise – to some of you. Others have known about this. Mwahaha.**

**Ask questions if you gots to. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Opening a few of his dad's drawers, he found what he was looking for. A big, black pistol. 45 caliber, and fully loaded..._**"**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. As well as the song, _Awake My Soul_ by Mumford & Sons. All rights go to those deserving.**

**Thank you to booksbycolor for the idea of this chapter. Many people had suggested it, but you were the first. We can all give you credit for this wonderful idea of change in P.O.V.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

His next lead brought him to a small motel in Albany, New York.

It looked sketchy and cheap. Not that it surprised him. How could two teenagers afford a five-star hotel when they were nothing but trashy runaways?

Approaching the front desk, he gave the cheerful-looking man a hard look. He used his icy blue eyes to his advantage, as he tried to intimidate the old man. His name-tag read _Maurice._

The clerk smiled, "Hello, sir. Would you like a room?"

Octavian narrowed his eyes in the old man's direction. "No. I came for answers."

Maurice's smiled dropped slowly, "What do you mean?"

Rolling his eyes, he pulled out a picture of himself and Annabeth on the school field trip to the Empire State Building. They were wrapped in each others' arms – like they should be. He showed it to the clerk and the man studied it carefully.

"Are you looking for her?" he asked with a curious expression.

"If I wasn't, would I be showing you this? Of course, I'm looking for her," he bit back, snappily.

Maurice frowned, and replied, "I think you need a cookie. We have some refreshments in the dining room, if you'd like."

"I don't want a fucking cookie! I want to know where this girl is!" He yelled at the insolent man, pointing to Annabeth in the picture.

Maurice looked affronted at the angry comeback. "Well, I'm sorry sir. Because, you are far too late. She was here weeks ago..._With another boy_, mind you," the old man looked at him pointedly.

Octavian felt his hands clench into fists, and he had to restrain from punching this guy in the face. He knew all about the audacious Percy Jackson, and his infatuation with Octavian's girlfriend. But they already left?

"She left? When? Where did she go?"

The man shook his head slightly. "They came in one night, got a room together, and were gone the next afternoon. They only stayed overnight."

Together? _A_ room? As in one? His jaw set, and his fists started to shake. There was no way that they could have...consummated their relationship. Could they have?

Percy Jackson was _dead_.

"When did _she_ leave?" he ground out.

"_They_ left a couple of weeks ago. Like I told you," Maurice didn't seem to be a happy man anymore.

Octavian snarled. "Well, where did _she_ go? Which way did _she_ turn out the door? Did _she_ leave anything in her room? What room did _she_ stay in? I'll go look myself." He refused to acknowledge the other kid.

Maurice shook his head with a disgusted expression. "I don't remember, sir. I was too distracted by the obvious love between the two kids. It was heart-warming, really." Now, the old man was just dancing on Octavian's last nerve. On purpose.

Breathing heavily, the boy said, "Surely, you keep records."

"Sorry," Maurice shrugged, not looking sorry at all.

"What kind of establishment doesn't keep records? I should report you!" Octavian shouted at the man in frustration.

The old man was calm, as he responded. "No need. We indeed keep records."

"What? Why did you say sorry, then?" Octavian looked at the man like he was crazy.

Smiling the clerk answered, "I'm sorry that I won't be giving them to you. Now, I'll have to ask you to leave. Good day, sir."

He was about ready to jump over the desk and strangle the guy, before two security guards picked him up by his armpits and threw him out the door.

…

Not having another lead to go off of, Octavian went to his father's station. Dear old daddy was out working on a case, so his office was empty.

He dropped his bag by the desk and fell into the spinning chair.

Logging onto his dad's computer was easy. His password was _criminaljustice._ How unoriginal.

Octavian decided he needed more information on Percy Jackson to find out where they were. He searched him in the database that keeps files on everyone. Seriously, _everyone. __S_ome may be surprised.

He read through Jackson's file and absorbed every piece of information he read. His file led to another. Sally Jackson.

Sally was young to be a mother of an eighteen-year-old. She changed her maiden name to match her son's after he was born, even though she never married the dad. Sounded a little desperate to Octavian.

It said the town she lived in, which was the same as the one that Jackson was listed under, and the same one where he had found Annabeth's little _home_.

Unfortunately, when he made it there she had already gone. He had broken in through a back window, only to hear a car zooming away from the house. She had a ride. Octavian assumed it was Percy Jackson. Even more reason to slaughter the guy.

But not only did Sally own a house in that town, but a small cabin in the town of Montauk, New York. On Long Island.

A slow smirk reached onto Octavian's mouth. Oh, this was too easy. It would be the perfect place to hide... had the pursuer not had such resources at his reach. Annabeth should have known this by now.

He printed directions off the computer and stuffed them in his bag. Opening a few of his dad's drawers, he found what he was looking for. A big, black pistol. 45 caliber, and fully loaded. He packed that into his bag, as well.

Checking for his Swiss army knife in his front pocket and finding it, he set off for the train station. He was heading for Montauk, New York.

…

The cabin was hidden well. He gave them that.

It was masked behind throngs of trees and other plants on one side, but when you got close enough, you could see that it had a directly in front of the beach. It was very secluded.

Like some kind of honeymoon get-a-way.

That thought made him freeze. Annabeth and Percy Jackson. Together in a small secluded cabin by themselves. From what he learned about them from the other students, the kids were _smitten_, or whatever. And, at the motel, they had gotten _one_ room together.

They were probably having sex.

Percy Jackson was going to die slowly. Painfully. Purposefully.

Annabeth didn't know how she felt. She didn't understand that she was still in love with Octavian. She was just afraid of loving him too much and wanted to forget by faking it with the Jackson kid. She loved Octavian and he loved her right back.

She was just confused. That's all.

Montauk was going through a bad thunderstorm. He had trouble making it up to the shack. He could hear someone moving around on the inside.

He stepped up onto the porch and peeked in through a window. There stood Annabeth, moving around a small kitchen. She was making a sandwich. Turkey on rye. She hated turkey. The boy was probably forcing her to eat it.

Octavian watched for only a while longer, as she moved around the kitchen, humming the song Awake My Soul, by Mumford & Sons. It was one of her favorites.

She started to mutter the lyrics,

"_In these bodies, we will live,_

_In these bodies, we will die,_

_Where you invest your heart,_

_You invest your life."_

He got tired of watching her make a sandwich and decided to spice things up a bit.

Stepping in front of the door, he turned the knob, just to see if by any chance they left it open. They didn't, it was locked.

He steadily secured his right foot on the ground and brought his left to a powerful kick, right next to the handle.

The door flew off the hinges, forward into the house. In a heap, the broken wood fell upon the floor.

Octavian walked slowly through the now-open door way, grinning hugely at the blonde with a horrified expression.

Ω

She could feel it.

It started yesterday morning when the thunderstorm woke her up. It had slowly become more and more intense. Now, at this point, she could feel the apprehension reverberating through her head.

Every creak of the wooden floor was an intruder. Every crinkle of the leaves outside was someone stalking through the woods. Every roar of thunder was an ex-boyfriend's cold laughter.

It was her body's presage that something was about to go terribly wrong.

Percy noticed she was on edge and tried to help her relax. It wasn't something easily done, he learned quickly. And he was even starting to get scared, but he was also sure that there was no way Octavian would be able to find this place. It's so far out and well-hidden.

Being together intimately was only enough to make her forget for the time she was with him. Afterward, when she woke up, the warning feeling was back.

The past two days had been hard. Her nerves were like electricity, tingling and crackling under the surface. She thought that it was her body's way of preparing to fight for her life. Her limbs shook with anticipation.

She didn't know how her body could predict when life was about to become harder, but she wasn't complaining.

Percy walked into the kitchen and smiled at her, as he wrapped his arm around her waist from behind.

"Hello, Love," he whispered in her ear sweetly.

She turned around in his arms and kissed him on the lips. "Hi Percy."

"You feeling better? Or do you still got the heeby-jeebies?" he muttered against her lips.

She chuckled, letting her warm breath fan across his face. And at that moment, she was glad she had just brushed her teeth, if Percy was in a touchy-feely mood.

"Putting it simply, are you? Yes, I do still have the 'heeby-jeebies.' You're such a goof, Perce," she shook her head in affection and amusement.

He smiled proudly and pecked her lips again, before moving away to look in the fridge. "Why do we never have food?" he mumbled to himself.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and walked up beside him. Of course, there were tons of ingredients in the fridge. But to Percy, unless the food was already put together on a plate in front of him, it didn't exist.

"Look, we have turkey breast, sliced cheese, and rye bread. That's not food? It makes a sandwich," Annabeth pointed out.

His eyebrows furrowed, "Well, you can't tell it's food when it's all...separated like that."

Laughing, she nudged his shoulder with her own. "Let me make you a sandwich, and you can go take a shower."

Smiling, he kissed her cheek, "You're too nice to me, you know."

Annabeth smirked, as she remembered a time when she had said the same thing. "Oh shut up, no I'm not."

Percy laughed, obviously remembering, and seeing as how the rolls had switched. He kissed her one last time on the lips, before heading in the direction of the bathroom.

Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable. Like Percy leaving the room put her in danger, which was absolutely preposterous. She wasn't some kind of delicate china doll. She could take care of herself without her boyfriend by her side.

Probably.

Then why did she feel so scared? Why did she have the urge to run into that bathroom and wait in there while he took a shower? He wouldn't mind, but it would be totally degrading to herself.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to think of ways to make herself comfortable. When she was younger, alone in her old house, her parents at work, and the boys were at practice, she would sometimes feel edgy.

To alleviate that edginess, she had taken to singing loudly. It was almost as if singing proved to whatever ghosts or demons lurking around her house, that she was not afraid. If she was comfortable enough to be belting out the chorus to some cruddy Justin Timberlake song, then she wasn't going to take any shit from ghosts. It was stupid and immature, but that was years ago. She was so young.

But for now, it was all she could think of. It used to work, and it brought her comfort. Tentatively, she started humming the tune to one of her favorite songs. _Awake My Soul_ by Mumford & Sons.

She began making Percy's sandwich, but as the seconds ticked by, her heart started pounding against her chest. Her hands were shaking violently, and the sandwich was suffering. She thought she might get sick. Working harder to become calm, she started to sing the lyrics softly.

"_In these bodies, we will live,_

_In these bodies, we will die,_

_Where you invest your heart,_

_You invest your life."_

At that moment, the door came flying off it's hinges. Her gaze snapped to the doorway, to see cold blue eyes grinning at her. Her heart came to an abrupt halt, and she almost dropped to her knees.

"Annabeth," Octavian started to walk closer to her. "Fancy seeing you here..."

It only took her about a second to react.

She ran.

To the bathroom, of course.

Stumbling and slipping because she was still in shock, she wasn't as fast as she needed to be. Just as she was about to bang on the door, Octavian grabbed the back of her tank top and yanked her to the ground. "Not so fast, babe," he muttered in her ear.

Not knowing what else to do, she screamed for Percy. Probably not the smartest move, while Octavian had so much advantage over her at the moment. "PERC-!"

Octavian's fist connected with her cheek, successfully shutting her up. Her hand flew to her face and felt the forming swell. An icy cold hand slammed over her mouth and she could feel metal being pushed against her neck. His knife. "One more sound, and you won't be swallowing for a while."

She whimpered and prayed to every deity she could think of, to have let Percy hear her half-scream. Octavian's voice was low, as he spoke to her again, grazing the knife slightly across her throat, "You're going to come with me, quietly. We're going to get into my car and we will be driving away. Got it?"

He lifted his hand from her mouth so she could respond, but instead of answering him with words, she promptly spit in his face.

His cheeks burned in anger and embarrassment. "So, that's how you wanna play? I could go all night, bitch." He pushed the knife harder against her neck, and she could feel the beads of blood start to escape the small cut he made in her neck.

Tears flooded freely down her cheeks. Maybe if she left with him, he wouldn't hurt Percy, and he'd let him go free. She had no idea what to do, because if she left Percy, he would... she didn't even know what he would do. Break, maybe?

Octavian was stupid enough to leave her mouth open to reply once again, and Annabeth used his negligence to her advantage. She screamed. Loud.

"PERCY! HE'S BAC-!" She was able to get out before Octavian cursed, and slipped his knife down from her neck to her shoulder and slit a huge gash. Dark red blood cascaded down the right side of her body and she cried out.

The bathroom door slammed open abruptly, and a sopping wet Percy stood, wearing nothing but a pair of black sweat pants. His hair was dripping and falling into his eyes and his body was still glistening. He looked like some kind of angel, standing there in the dimly lit room, the minimal lighting shining off his body.

He looked disoriented, but as his eyes found the scene in front of him, his face changed. Time slowed down, as Percy's body tensed up and he looked angrier than she had ever seen him before. Ever heard of that saying, "If looks could kill..?" Well, if so, Octavian would be annihilated into something less than a speck of dust. The sea-green of his irises became a dark emerald, and the fierceness they held, had Annabeth scared _for_ Octavian.

They were piercing, burning, and unforgiving.

In less than a second, Percy had made some kind of a decision or plan. Because, as quick as his eyes could interpret what was going on, he was tackling Octavian to the ground. Their bodies hit the floor with a loud thump and Annabeth being released from her ex's girp, stumbled back.

She could hear punches and kicks being thrown, and it sounded like someone was really getting the shit beat out of him. She desperately hoped it was Octavian being pummeled into nothing.

Percy growled harshly and there was a loud crack. Octavian yelled out and Annabeth guessed that Percy had probably broken his nose. She couldn't see. She was frantically looking around for something to stop Octavian with.

"Filthy, low-life bastard. I should rip out your insides and shove them down your throat, you disgusting lot of scum," Percy snarled. His voice was deep and rumbling. The sound was rich and... God Dammit! Now was not the time to think of how sexy Percy's angry voice was!

Octavian's knife was on the ground, coated in Annabeth's blood. She picked up the tool and tried to run over to where the two boys were still battling it out. Percy was on top of Octavian, as the blonde boy tried to throw him off. But Percy was too in-the-zone. He was a machine. It was like his body went into auto-pilot, and all he knew was punch, kick, rip, and end. It was beautiful in a twisted kind of way.

Annabeth swiftly tried to get close, but Percy looked at her, and yelled, "Stay back, Annabeth! Please!" It sounded strained and desperate.

It was enough of a distraction to give Octavian an advantage. While Percy looked at Annabeth, Octavian twisted out of his grip and quickly stumbled over to where she was standing. She tried to move back out of his reach, but she was not expecting it and she fell onto her bottom, disoriented.

Percy jumped up and made another run for Octavian, but stopped dead in his tracks.

Annabeth knew why. She could feel the cold, metal ring of a gun's barrel pushed up against her temple. "Take one step, and I blow her brains out, Jackson."

His hands started shaking visibly and in a strained, but vicious voice, he growled, "You better get your fucking hands off of her."

"And if I don't?" Octavian asked, tugging on one of her curls with his free hand.

"What do you want, psycho?" Percy snarled, angrily. The strain to keep calm was visible as his muscles tensed and a vein jutted out in his neck.

Octavian's cold snicker blew air against her neck and she involuntarily shivered – Definitely not from pleasure. "Her," he stated casually.

A low growl escaped Percy's throat, "Well, you can't have her."

Laughing, the blonde boy replied, "But, can't I? Don't worry. You won't have to live without her. I plan on killing you, as well."

Annabeth gasped, and tried to push herself off his body. The attempt was in vain as he thrust the gun harder against her temple. "Why can't you just let him go? You have me! Let him go!"

"Annabeth!" Percy warned. "Don't! Don't do this! Fight back!"

Octavian smiled and his lips moved to place a wet kiss on her neck. Percy's anger and disgust were audible. "Because, sweetheart, I don't like when guys fuck my girlfriend."

"So, help me God, if you touch her again... She's not your girlfriend, you pathetic little fuck!" Percy shouted, and she could feel even Octavian flinch from the violence in his tone. Percy was _mad._

"Uh, yeah, I think she is. You don't get it. She was using you this entire time. She was trying to forget her feelings for me and you just happened to be the creature she chose as a distraction. We are in love." Octavian explained. Annabeth had been crying, but now she was starting to sob. Everything was going to shit so quickly.

Annabeth hoped Percy wouldn't believe the lies barking out of her ex-boyfriend's mouth. Everything she ever felt for Percy was one-hundred percent real and nothing Octavian said could change that.

Surprisingly though, Percy laughed. "Really dude? I think you're the one who doesn't get it. Does she look like she's in love with you right now? Cowering in fear, and shaking with sobs? And if you were so in love with her, then I don't see how you could be holding a gun to her head and threatening to kill her. Doesn't seem very _loving_ to me..."

Percy was stalling, and Annabeth knew it. He was trying to come up with a plan to get them out of there alive. Just as she was. But it was starting to seem impossible. They were stuck in a tight bind with their hands tied behind their backs.

Though, when Annabeth looked at Percy again, to send him a message through her eyes – telling him to escape and leave her to worry with the bozo that was Octavian – she saw something in his eyes.

He wasn't looking at her, but his eyes were filled with...relief? An infinitesimal smirk made it's way onto his face, invisible to anyone who wasn't studying him as vehemently as Annabeth was. His eye was caught on something behind her. She wanted to turn around and see what it was, but she didn't want to bring attention to it in front of Octavian.

Octavian answered Percy's previous question. "I think you're right, Jackson. I shouldn't have the gun pointed at her," The metal moved from her temple, and was trained on her boyfriend's skull. "I should be pointing it at you."

A deep voice spoke up, "And I've got mine pointed at you."

Ω

**Gahh! Cliffhanger! Who is it? Does anyone have any guesses? I know this ending is like so cliché, but hey, at least Percabeth didn't die. Still going strong!**

**OKAY. I won't slow the updates. I deleted the note that said it. People were getting angry, and I understand that. But I just wanted more time to edit the chapters, to make sure I really liked them. I guess I could just...not. Updates will continue as normal, just please stop yelling at me. Haha. There's only like two more chapters anyway. Not including the Epilogue. Though I'm not sure if the epilogue will be done in time to meet the schedule, but we'll see.**

**Thank you for reading, I hope you're liking this story. The feedback I get is incredible, and I love you all for it! If you have questions, please ask. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Many people tried to talk to her. Not that they were getting through. It was like talking to a doll. Annabeth said nothing, ignored everyone, but just cried silently. Nothing would be right until she knew Percy was okay..._**"**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

"And I've got mine pointed at you."

Annabeth's head flung behind her to see what Percy had been looking at. The voice was low and deep, and she recognized it immediately.

Charles Beckendorf stood in the crashed doorway with a big gun pointed straight between Octavian's eyes. He stepped over the threshold, ignoring what was left of the broken door on the ground.

Octavian looked scared. He hated losing control. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Snorting, Beck replied, "Obviously, not someone you want to mess with. My gun is bigger than yours." He nodded at the hunting rifle in his hands. Annabeth had no doubt that he knew how to use it.

Quick as a flash, Octavian twisted his body around and shot blindly. That was his way of controlling the situation. As soon as Octavian had shot a bullet, many from Beckendorf's gun followed.

Everything felt so crazy and rushed. The sound of shooting resonating off the walls. Annabeth desperately dove into the wooden floor, crawling out of the aim of the guns.

She heard a low cry of pain, and a thump into the ground. Quickly spinning around on the floor, she saw a devastating scene before her.

Her mind stopped and her throat let out a piercing scream, as she saw that Percy had fallen to the ground, and he released another agonizing yell. She didn't even know if Octavian had been hurt. All she knew was that she wasn't in his grasp anymore, and she was running to her boyfriend.

She sunk to her knees next to his body, as it shook violently. He was panting and holding his hand to his stomach. Annabeth reached to pull it up, but stopped short when she saw his fingers coated in red.

"Percy!" she yelled brokenly. The sound that came out of her mouth held all kinds of despair. Pain swelled in her heart as she started to press her hands to the wound on his bare torso. She vaguely heard fighting going on in the background, but she was too trained on Percy to even care.

His signature smirk made it's way onto his face, although it looked forced. "How am I supposed to keep you safe from down here?" He sounded breathless, like every word was a triathalon.

Tears tracked down her cheeks as she used her other hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Annabeth glanced around for something to help keep the blood from draining him and saw an oven mitt. Not ideal, but it would have to do.

As she pressed the glove to the bullet wound, he hissed violently. "God dammit, that hurts like a motherfucking bitch." His eyes shut tight and his hands clenched roughly.

"Shh," Annabeth hushed him, placing a watery kiss to his forehead. She used the unoccupied hand to move a few wet strands of black hair away from his beautiful ocean eyes.

The room went oddly silent, but she didn't have time to worry about that, or the blood leaking from her own wounds. Heavy footsteps sounded from behind her and she turned sharply, clutching the knife with all she had, ready to take down anything that was a threat to her Percy.

Beckendorf stood behind her with his arms raised in surrender. "We need to call an ambulance for him."

Relief soaked her features, as she pointed to the landline in the living room. "Right there." Beck nodded and moved to call 9-1-1.

Percy was groaning and his face was turning a terrifying pale color. "Percy," Annabeth rubbed his shoulder with her free hand. "Percy, keep breathing, please. Stay with me, Love." Her voice cracked on the last word. She felt like she was breaking, watching the man she loved, struggle to breathe.

His teeth were grinding together in a way that looked painful, but he managed a nod. "Where is he?" He ground out huskily. "Are you hurt?"

She didn't even know where Octavian was. Slowly turning around, she expected that he had probably gotten away.

But the image she was left with was not that. It was disgusting and gruesome. Beck must have really good aim, because Octavian was lying on the floor with many bullet holes. The most prominent in his forehead. She whipped away harshly, not wanting to see it.

Octavian was dead.

Strangely, she wasn't as upset as a normal person should be. A man was killed right next to her. But she couldn't find it in herself to care. Octavian was at fault for Percy being on the ground half de–

No. She refused to think Percy was anywhere near... _that_. He was going to be okay. Perfectly fine.

"Don't worry about him anymore. Or me, Perce. I'm fine."

It must have taken all of his energy to roll his eyes, but he did it anyway. "You can't be fine. I saw your shoulder." He was starting to twitch in anger, and she definitely couldn't have him doing that.

"Please Percy. Take it easy," she pleaded. The tears were coming back full force. She couldn't stand to see him like this.

Beck came back into the room, rubbing his face. "They're on their way. Hang tight, man."

Percy tried to respond, but his eyes began to flutter, and his body's convulsions began to slow. Fear sunk it's ice cold talons straight into her heart. His breathing was slowing, and Annabeth started yelling to him. "Percy! Stay awake! Please, sweetheart, the ambulance is coming! You have to stay awake, Percy!" She shook his shoulders, but it looked like he was about to pass out.

Annabeth had no idea what happened with Octavian. She didn't have a clue of how Beckendorf had got here with perfect timing. She didn't know how Octavian had even found them. But she didn't care. Not right now. The only clear thing in her mind was that Percy was _dying,_ and she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

Her shoulders rattled, trying to hold back the gut-wrenching sobs. Percy's eyes were closed and his lungs were barely taking in enough oxygen to sustain him. She pretended, for her sake, that he was just taking a nap or something – definitely not passing out from a possibly fatal injury. The paramedics better get here quick, or they'd have to deal with an enraged, crazy blonde chick.

She still had her one hand applying pressure to his wound with the oven mitt. Beck came up behind her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Annabeth, come on. Let me do that. You're shaking."

Forcefully shaking her head no, she replied, "I can't. I need to save him. He won't die. He _can't_." Her teeth ground, as she pressed harder against his injury.

Beck gently moved her hand away from the oven mitt, as he sat on Percy's other side, placing his own hand on the fabric softly. "You're pushing too hard. Probably doing more damage than help. You're too scared to do this right now, Annabeth. Percy is going to be okay."

Just as he got the last word out, three paramedics rushed into the cabin, carrying a gurney. They spotted where the two were sitting on the floor next to Percy, and hurried over.

Annabeth let out another forceful sob as she saw them. "Please, help! He's been shot!"

Time started to blur by in a whirlwind of events. She was having trouble focusing as the medics talked to her. The world was spinning, as they loaded Percy onto the gurney, before rolling him away, so fast, her eyes couldn't keep up. They had to be quick, and she understood that. But for some reason, they wouldn't let her join him in the ambulance. Beck came to her rescue, and said he would drive her over.

Her mind raced while Beck took them to the hospital. She wasn't even focusing on how anything would result. The police were in the cabin now, looking over Octavian's lifeless body. There surely would be cops at the hospital, as well.

Everything felt like a dream. Or more like a nightmare. The world was blurry through her eyes. Nothing would be right until she knew Percy was okay.

When they arrived at the hospital, she ran into it. Beck tried to allow them to see Percy, but apparently the doctors were working on him right now, and they had to wait. Annabeth felt like she was going to be sick. They took seats in the waiting room, and Beck rubbed her not-mangled shoulder in an attempt to soothe her.

Many people tried to talk to her. Not that they were getting through. It was like talking to a doll. Annabeth said nothing, ignored everyone, but just cried silently. _Nothing_ would be right until she knew Percy was okay.

Beckendorf quietly spoke calming words to her, but it wasn't working. She wasn't hearing him. She couldn't hear anyone. It was like everyone was speaking in Charlie Brown language, where words meshed into incoherent sounds.

Hours passed in a sea of people. Doctors were talking to patients' families, delivering them news. Nurses ran around, trying to keep everything in order. Annabeth's gaze was fixed on the stark white floors and the sterile furniture. She was in a state that she had never experienced before. She wouldn't let herself think about what was going to happen if Percy didn't walk out of this.

Annabeth would burn the damn hospital down.

Being in this situation was numbing. She could compare it to being in an ice bath for hours. Each minute Percy wasn't next to her, holding her hand, was bringing her less feeling. She was closer to Hypothermia every second Percy's doctor wasn't out here, giving them good news. _Nothing would be right until she knew Percy was okay._

Even when the police tried to talk to her, she couldn't understand what they were saying. She didn't even look at them. Most just gave up on her, saying they would come back when she could find how to speak to them. But one officer noticed the bloodied shoulder, hiding under her jacket. Out of nowhere, it seemed, she was being whisked away from Beck and into her own hospital room.

She thinks she might have screamed. It wasn't clear. Everything was still hazy. But she did know she didn't go easily. Nurses and doctors combined had to hold her down and rush her into a room. She felt woozy and scared, as she kicked and thrashed, trying to get away from the evil people. What if Percy's doctor couldn't find her to give her the news? She jerked harder at that. But the nurses just held on tighter, until one poked a needle into her butt.

Annabeth suddenly felt really calm. But she didn't want to be. She wanted to fight and get away from the demon nurses trying to keep her away from her Percy. She was falling asleep quickly on the outside, but on the inside, she was screaming still. She was banging on the walls in her mind, trying to escape the darkness that the nurses were forcing upon her. But the attempt was futile. She succumbed to the sleep within seconds. But, nothing would be right until she knew Percy was okay.

…

Annabeth woke up to the sound of beeping.

Her head hurt and she didn't want to open her eyes. Some kind of bright light shone behind her closed lids. She tried to shift in her bed to become more comfortable, her hands flew out trying to find Percy's warmth next to her in their bed. There was a sharp pain in her shoulder as she searched for him, and all of the sudden, memories shot through her mind like firecrackers.

Her eyes flung open and she heaved herself into a sitting position. Pain fired through her body, but she ignored it. She wasn't in the bed of Percy's cabin in Montauk. She was in a hospital. Octavian found them. Beckendorf saved them. Percy was _shot_.

Looking around the room, she saw that she shared it with another patient that was behind a curtain.

The beeping sound became more prominent to her ears. It was louder and sounded more alarming. She started to scramble out of the bed, but a poking on the inside of her elbow, stopped her short. She looked to see a needle stuck into her arm, feeding blood from a bag into her body.

Two nurses came rushing into the room. They started talking to her, telling her that she had to lay down. But she wouldn't listen to them until they answered her questions. It was their fault that she had been sleeping in the first place.

"Where's Percy? Is he okay?" the blonde demanded, talking over the nurses' instructions.

A nurse with orange hair gave Annabeth a funny look. '_Percy?_' she muttered to the other nurse with big glasses.

Specks eyes lit up in realization, which looked a little funny with her glasses bugging them out. "Sweetheart, you mean Perseus Jackson?"

Annabeth's head nodded vigorously. "Yes! Yes, where is he? Is he gonna be alright? Is he alive? Oh he better be alive, or I'm gonna punch him. Is he awake? Can I see him?" She rambled nervously.

Ginger gave a small giggle. "Hold on a second. How about one question at a time? You wanna know where he is, right? Well, look to your right, hun."

Her head whipped around and she ignored the ache of her fast movements. There was a curtain to the right of her, giving the patient she shared a room with some privacy.

Glasses walked over to the curtain and slowly pulled it open. Annabeth gasped, as she saw the patient.

It was Percy. He laid in the bed, sleeping soundly. He wasn't wearing a shirt, so she could see the bandage wrapped around his torso. Tears sprung into her eyes and she couldn't hold them back. "Percy," she whispered brokenly. "Is he okay?" she asked the nurses.

Ginger smiled. "Yes, we believe he's going to make a full recovery. You were lucky he made it to the hospital in time. The other boy..." her face took on a look of sympathy. "He didn't make it."

"Oh thank God!" Annabeth yelled tactlessly. She only realized how bad that sounded, after both nurses stared at her like she was crazy. "No! I mean, I'm glad Percy's alright. And Octavian... Well, I guess I'm not too upset about that."

The nurses probably thought she was insane, and for a while, she was. When she didn't know if Percy was going to make it, she was falling off of her rocker. She didn't want her sanity if she didn't have Percy.

Clearing her throat, Specks walked over to Percy's bed, and examined him. "He'll probably be waking up very soon."

Annabeth's laugh of relief sounded through the quiet room. The nurses smiled at her in understanding, as tears once again, attacked her eyes. "Oh God, thank you so much," she muttered. She couldn't concentrate on anything, other than the fact that everything was going to be okay.

Both nurses left her alone, after telling her that she had lost an excessive amount of blood, and she needed to take it easy. If she wanted to move around – most likely they knew she'd want to go to Percy – then she had to bring the pole that carried her bag of blood, with her. Which was totally worth it, if you asked her.

She was alone in the room for only about five minutes before Beckendorf ran in. He looked freaked out, until he saw her. Relief washed over his features, as he stumbled over to her bedside. "Christ, Annabeth, I'm so glad you're okay. You just about gave me a damn heart attack."

Chuckling, Annabeth patted his shoulder. "Sorry, Beck."

He rubbed his face, and his eyes drifted over to Percy's bed. "He's gonna be fine, you know."

The blonde teenager smiled softly, looking over at Percy. "I know. If he wasn't... He'd have a very angry girlfriend to deal with." She didn't know what she would've done if Percy hadn't made it. But she knew it wouldn't have been pretty.

Beck snickered at her. "Long night," he sighed, his mood seemed to have deflated.

She turned back to him, her eyebrows knit. Now that she knew Percy was still alive and kicking, she figured she could get some answers. Breathing deeply, she spoke to him. "About that. Care to explain how in the hell you saved our lives?"

Beckendorf seemed to pick up at that, as he smiled big, and Annabeth knew she was in for one hell of a story.

Ω

**Yeahh. Some of you had already guessed what happens next, pretty well. Though I don't think anyone said it would be Beckendorf. Pretty much _everyone_ thought it was Poseidon. GOTCHA. Haha, you'll see how he got involved next chapter. Hope you're excited.**

**Thank you guys for reading so much. We are like, incredibly close to the end, and I'm sad. There is one more chapter after this, and an Epilogue. But I will be writing other stories after this one. I have a lot of ideas, and I hope you'll like them! If you have questions about anything, you can ask me. Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**COMING NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_'__I was tired of it all, Perce. I didn't want to keep running for the rest of my life. You saved me from that. You made me want to keep fighting, and you fought with me, God dammit...__'_**"**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Beckendorf pulled a chair next to her bed. Annabeth watched as he carefully slid down into it and leaned back. She was excited to see what he had to say, but also a little wary. Though, it wasn't like they could really do anything about it now.

He took a deep breath and started off slowly. "I guess it starts with me getting a phone call."

Her eyebrows knitted, but she kept listening silently. "It was yesterday, night. I was up late, working in my garage. I wasn't expecting any phone calls, so when I heard the ring, I was surprised."

Beck played with his fingers while he talked, "I picked up the phone, and was like, really surprised to find out that it was Sally Jackson. She was rambling on and talking so fast, I had no idea what she was saying."

Annabeth had no idea what Mrs. Jackson would have been calling about. But didn't Percy make Beck promise not to say anything? When she asked him that, he replied calmly. "I didn't tell her anything about what I knew of you guys. She actually never even asked. That wasn't why she called. She called because of some message Percy left on her answering machine."

Surprise etched her features. "A message? Percy didn't call her... I don't think he did, at least." Annabeth stated. "Why wouldn't he have told me?"

He chuckled, "Probably, because you would have told him it was a bad idea. That phone calls can be tracked, and that Sally has caller ID set up from the cabin, so it said exactly where he was calling from."

She didn't want to laugh, but she had to. Only Percy could have made a mistake like that. Even though, it might not even have been a mistake after all. "Okay, go on," she told him, trying to calm her amusement.

"Alright – So she called me. And she was saying a bunch of stuff about Percy being in Montauk, and how she was worried, especially because of the storm. She wanted me to check up on you guys. She said she had a bad feeling, and she knew that I could probably help you guys out. She asked me to bring some food and supplies."

Annabeth couldn't understand how Sally knew something was going to happen, but she was really touched by the mother's concern. She felt something close to jealousy, thinking about how hard Sally had been working to help her son, when Annabeth's parents weren't even looking for her.

"She knew that Percy wouldn't have wanted her to go. So, I agreed, of course. I couldn't say no to her even if I wanted to... I packed up a bunch of stuff in my truck, and drove down here to get it to you. Only by chance, did I bring that rifle. I figured if I was supposed to be checking up on you, I should have some form of protection. Guess I was right." He smirked and cracked his knuckles. Annabeth couldn't help but to smile at his growing pride.

"When I got down there and pulled up to the shack, I heard shouting... and screaming. I saw that the door was busted open and had a bad feeling about that. So I grabbed my gun before getting in there... And, I think you know the rest."

"So, mother's intuition saved my life?" Her palms were over her eyes, rubbing them lightly. "Wow. Just wow. I can't even believe our fucking luck."

Beck smiled and patted her shoulder. "Everything is going to be okay now, Annabeth."

For some reason, she started to tear up. Just watery eyes at first, but then that turned into a cascading waterfall down her face. She didn't know what was making her so emotional... But maybe she did.

It was finally over. The past year in Hell was coming to an end.

Tonight had been pretty fucked up. She thought she deserved a day off from sanity.

Beckendorf curled her into a hug, as she sobbed shamelessly into his shirt. He tried to calm her down, but it wasn't enough. She was so... relieved. Everything was going to be okay.

At that moment, another voice broke through her thoughts. "Why are you crying, Love?"

Her head snapped up to confirm who the voice belonged to. He sounded gruff and sleepy. His hair was disheveled and his mouth was curved into a lopsided grin.

She let out a noise that was halfway between a sob and a laugh, as she grabbed her IV pole, and did her best to quickly shuffle over to Percy. He was lying down with his head propped up by his pillow. When she got close enough, she threw her weak arms around his frame and didn't hold back tears. She whispered incoherent thoughts against the warm skin of his bare chest, as he smoothed her hair and hushed her cries.

"God Percy, if you ever almost die again..." She muttered, the sound muffled against his body.

He laughed, which caused him to cough. "I'm okay, Love."

Relieved, she let herself smile. Beckendorf went on to explain again, how he made it to the cabin in time to save them.

Percy looked a little sheepish, when he admitted to calling his mother. But it had nothing on the rosy blush that blossomed on his cheeks, as Beck told him about the caller ID. Annabeth chuckled and kissed his cheek. Sometime during the story, she moved into the hospital bed with him, careful of his injury. They snuggled each other, glad that they were both still alive.

Then, Percy asked the question that she knew had been burning him from the start. "What happened to Octavian?"

Beck's expression hardened and he looked away. Annabeth knew that Beckendorf wasn't a killer. He didn't want to murder Octavian, but had no other choice, as Octavian was trying to kill his friends. It was sad what he had to go through. It couldn't have been easy, dealing with everything. So, she answered for him. "He's dead." Maybe she should have been more sincere. Oops.

The raven-haired teenager's mouth formed a small 'O.' He looked back and forth between Annabeth and Beckendorf, before believing that they were telling the truth. "Well, shit. Is it bad that I feel relieved?"

She let out a chuckle along with Beck. It was just like Percy to lighten the mood.

"God damn. The bastard shot me," her boyfriend shook his head in disbelief. "I don't care how morbid this sounds. If he wasn't dead, I'd kill him again. Without regret." Percy's gaze dropped to Annabeth's mangled shoulder, then to the huge black bruise caressing her cheek. His voice dropped low. "He hurt you. And I wasn't there to stop him," he muttered helplessly.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Percy. You were in the shower. What were you supposed to do? Not bathe for the rest of your life?" She asked him, gripping his hand tightly.

He dropped eye contact. "Annabeth, I should have listened to you. You knew something was wrong, and I made us stay." He looked so disappointed in himself, like he'd failed her somehow. Which was definitely not the case. Beckendorf left the room to give them some more privacy.

"Perseus Jackson." He winced at the use of his full name, but she continued. "You saved my life. Nothing you say will change that, and what it means to me. You have saved me in more ways than one, over the past couple months that I've known you. If not for you, he probably would've caught me by now. I wouldn't have had any place to go. My money would have been dwindled to nothing. My will to save myself would have decreased. Hopelessness would have set in. I was tired of it all, Perce. I didn't want to keep running for the rest of my life. You saved me from that. You made me want to keep fighting, and you fought with me, God dammit. You can't even begin to understand the gratitude I feel for you. And you taught me things. You showed me what I never really understood. Love. You taught me love. And _God_, let me tell you, I love you so much, Percy."

Her eyes searched his glassy ones for a moment, then she kissed him. It was a different kind of kiss. Full of appreciation and relief. Like always when they kissed, she could feel the same emotions he felt. To feel his soft lips against hers once again, was all she wanted from the moment she saw him fall to the ground. And he gave her what she wanted with equal fervor. It showed that he had been worried for her as well. It couldn't have been easy finding her clutched in Octavian's grip.

She was suddenly wishing they weren't in a hospital, as their kiss became more desperate, wanting to feel every part of each other. To reassure that they were really okay. She just wanted to be close to him again in a way that they had shared before. She wanted to be back at the cabin with nobody else around, and she wanted to lose herself in him.

Percy was obviously feeling the same frustration in their current situation, as he growled and pulled away. "We need to stop before a nurse catches us." Annabeth almost said "Let them," but she knew she couldn't. Though, there was no way they were going to get her to move out of this bed. They'd have to stick her booty with that sleepy juice again to get her to cooperate with that one.

So, she nodded and nuzzled her face into the crook between Percy's neck and shoulder. He hummed in content, as his thumb rubbed fluid circles into the curve of her hip.

They sat that way for a while, enjoying the others' presence. The nurse with glasses came in once to check on Percy now that he was awake. She cooed at the couple, and had no problem with them sharing the bed. She even encouraged it, claiming that they needed each other right now. Annabeth decided she really liked that nurse.

Everything was quiet once again. She felt calm, something she hadn't felt in days. Listening to Percy's heartbeats thump through his chest, had her feeling all kinds of peaceful. Until the door opened, and a woman rushed into the room. Percy's eyes stayed closed. He obviously didn't care who it was that interrupted their little bit of relief. But Annabeth's curiosity got the best of her, and she opened her eyes.

She recognized the woman immediately from the newscast a little while ago. This was Sally Jackson. Percy's mom.

Sally stood in the doorway, taking in the scene in front of her. Her cheeks were tear stained, but she made no move to come closer. Annabeth looked up to Percy's still closed eyes, and shook his shoulder lightly. "Perce, look," she whispered in his ear.

He halfway whined/grunted and squeezed his lids tighter. To Annabeth, he looked like a whiny toddler, trying to catch up on his sleep. She had to stop herself from chuckling, as she went on to kiss his nose. "Would you look, please?" She murmured softly.

Slowly and reluctantly, the greens of his irises shown to the world. He took in his surroundings, his gaze not falling upon Sally for a few seconds. But when they did find her, they widened in surprise. "Mom?" he asked in a tone of disbelief.

Mrs. Jackson was still crying, as she finally stepped into the room. Though, she was starting to smile. "Hi Percy," she said hesitantly.

Annabeth moved off of Percy's bed, allowing Sally to hug her son. Sally was tentative at first, but as soon as her son's big arms wrapped around her tightly, she was holding onto him for dear life. Annabeth muttered a lame excuse to leave the room, and shot out as quickly as she could, rolling her IV.

She was a coward, so what? She didn't want to deal with Sally's wrath for taking her son away. For letting him almost die. Annabeth couldn't deal with the guilt, as it was. But something about Sally not liking her made her heart drop all the way to her butt.

Outside the room, she found Beck still sitting on the bench outside their room. The police were questioning him again, and as soon as they saw her, they asked for a minute of her time. Why did they even ask? It wasn't like she could say no anyway.

They interrogated her for what felt like hours. She told the whole story of her run, straight from the point of when she broke up with Octavian. As she started her story, people from around the hospital joined around her. They were in the waiting room, and there was a ring of patients, nurses, doctors, and police officers combined, all listening into her crazy story.

Beck sat next to her, for support, and she was glad for it. She looked around the group of people and was relieved to see Octavian's father wasn't there. She didn't know if she could look at him, after seeing his son in the state she left him in.

But she was surprised when another person caught her eye. Or actually more like, _people,_ as in plural, caught her eye.

Frederick and Sue Chase stood towards the middle of the ring, listening to her tell the story. Her dad had his arms on two little boys' shoulders, and she saw that it was Bobby and Matthew. After her initial surprise, she smiled at the twins, and continued to tell her story.

At some point in the story, Percy and his mother had joined the growing group. The crowd hooted and hollered for him, as he sat down on the other side of her. He grinned and kissed her cheek, and they yelled even louder. She was a little embarrassed.

He helped her tell the story. And she realized it was a long one. She couldn't even count how many people had accumulated by the end of it. There was so many. Most threw out words of support and love, that had Annabeth crying. Percy grabbed her hand, as they finished, and the crowd burst into a loud applause.

Her hand flew to her mouth in a feeble attempt to cover her sob. There was so much emotion running through her, and for the first time in a while, it felt all really positive.

From this spot in the hospital, as a random crowd of people showed them love and support, and as Percy's hand kept a strong hold on her own, not showing any signs of letting go, she could see their brighter future.

Then, Percy asked the million dollar question. "What now?"

She looked at him softly, reaching up to cup his cheek. "I honestly don't know," she whispered.

His expression turned to something thoughtful, as he pulled her hand up to his mouth and pressed a feather-light kiss to her knuckles. "You and I are going home, Annabeth. That much, I know."

Annabeth smiled, because he was right. They fought for, and _earned_ their future together. They deserved their happy ending.

Her and Percy were together, and nothing could even _hope_ to break them apart.

Ω

**That's the end folks. It's been a wild ride. Let me tell you. I've had so much fun writing this, and it kills me to end it. But never fear! I am in the process of writing the Epilogue! It will tie up any loose ends, and hopefully make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.**

**I wanted to let you guys know that I will be writing other stories. I have a bunch of ideas in mind, and I've started three of them already. So this isn't the end of my FanFiction career. (I certainly hope not.)**

**Thank you to everyone for your love and support. I'll write a bigger thank you in the Epilogue, but for now, just know that it means a shit ton to me.**

**The Epilogue is not finished. I'm going to perfect it, until it's to my liking. And I don't know when I will put it out. But you can expect it coming out soon. I wouldn't leave you guys hanging for too long.**

**Reviews are appreciated, as well as follows and favorites.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**

**(It was weird not writing a preview here.)**


	26. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, or the Heroes of Olympus series. All rights go to those deserving.**

Ω

**Run**

**Epilogue**

Annabeth stood in the bedroom of her new home.

Sighing contentedly, she looked out the window to see the familiar puffy clouds that she had become accustomed to in her last stay in this town. A lazy smile etched her face, as the warm spring air blew through the open curtains.

She sat down on the bed, and examined the room. Black walls, with white crown molding. Posters of famous hockey players covered every inch of the closet doors. The bed was, thankfully, queen sized and covered in a large navy-blue and gray striped blanket. Dropping her head onto the pillows, she breathed in. They still smelled of ocean. They still smelled of him.

Percy walked into the room, and dropped a box of her stuff on the floor. Looking down at his curled up girlfriend, he laughed. "Get your lazy butt up. I'm not doing all the unpacking by myself."

The blonde groaned, but still sat up. When she caught his eyes with her own, she couldn't help but grin. They only stared at each other for what seemed like a minute, until they both broke at the same time.

Percy lunged at her, pinning her to the bed, as she threw her arms out, ready to accept the embrace. His lips found hers easily, and soon they were laughing and kissing, and just enjoying each others' company.

He tickled her, and she poked him in the side. She giggled, as his nose nudged the skin of her neck affectionately.

Her boyfriend sighed, and rolled off of her. "We have to get to work, Annabeth."

She pouted. "Since when were you the responsible one?"

Percy only grinned, and squeezed her cheek. "You've changed me, dear."

Annabeth was moving into the Jackson's house in Percy's home town. The couple couldn't have been happier. Anything Annabeth may have worried about Sally hating her had been thrown out the window when they were introduced.

After her little share-and-care time at the hospital, as she liked to call it, Percy had brought his mom to meet Annabeth. She didn't even have time to stick out her hand to shake, before Sally Jackson enveloped her in a hug. A bone-crushing, love-providing, tear-jerking hug.

Sally immediately took a liking to Annabeth, just as Percy had figured. It was her idea that Annabeth come to live with them. Percy sometimes even questioned who Sally loved more, because Sally _really_ loved Annabeth. Always claiming that Percy couldn't have found a better girl. Which just caused Annabeth to get even more emotional. She was just a wreck sometimes.

Her parents had approached her. Percy wasn't pleased with them from what she could gather. She figured it was because they didn't try to help her out at all. They had their reasoning. They were worried for the twins. Which Annabeth was, too. But it still would have been nice to have been _looked_ _for_. How could any parent leave a teenage girl to fend for herself?

She just decided to ignore anything that they said, and go along with their half-ass apologies. She was in far too good a mood to be brought down by them. Although, her father did look _really_ happy to see her. He stayed rather quiet in the conversation. Annabeth had a gut-wrenching feeling that it wasn't his idea to leave Annabeth to her own rescue. It was evident, as how he had teared up during her story. She'd never seen him cry before, so she figured she could forgive him...probably.

The twins were beyond happy to see her. Bobby and Matthew hugged her legs tightly, and wouldn't let go for the rest of the night. Until Sue told them they had to go home to rest up for the big game tomorrow. Because, surely, that must have been more important than seeing their sister after close to a year away and a few near death experiences on her part. Note the sarcasm.

She made a promise to the boys that she would visit them as often as she could. She would try to make it to every soccer game had, and cheer for them on the side lines. Her dad looked happy to see that, but Sue just smiled tightly. That definitely confirmed whose idea it was to stay out of her life.

Shuffling off of Percy's soft bed, she moved to the box he had brought in. It was full of her clothes. She opened the poster-covered closet door and began hanging her them up.

Percy got off the bed, and started towards his joined bathroom. He cleared a spot for her stuff in the shower, commenting how he hoped she still used 'that lemon-smelly soap'. She laughed at that.

There was something so comforting about finally being able to be normal with Percy. Granted, moving into her boyfriend's house at seventeen wasn't exactly normal, but she didn't care. It felt right to her. Perfect even.

They would be going back to school, and luckily, since it wasn't too late in the school year, Percy was going to be able to graduate still.

She knew people were going to stare. People would have things to say to her, and most definitely some would not be pleasant. But when she thought about it, none of that stuff mattered. Annabeth knew she had Percy, and really, what more could she ask for?

"Beck called last night. He wants to know if we can visit him in the shop next week," Percy yelled to her from the bathroom.

"Sounds good to me," Annabeth answered back.

Beckendorf had to go to court. He was charged with third degree murder, or manslaughter. Luckily, after it was all over, he was proven innocent. It was a case of defending himself, and his friends. It had been a huge relief, and Annabeth briefly considered throwing a party – but thought better of it. Sometimes she was tactless. Oh well.

Octavian's father apparently had no idea what was going on the whole time.

In court, when he learned Annabeth's story, and saw the proof she had to back it up with, he was shocked. She had to show the jury pictures of her and Percy's scars, and she had go into detail about her time on the run. She didn't mind anymore, because honestly, she had gotten used to telling the story by now. She had to explain it multiple times.

After Beck was proven innocent, Octavian's father had sought her out, and gave her one of the most heartfelt apologies she had ever received. He claimed that he had no idea what happened to her. Only that she and Octavian broke up. He hadn't even known she went missing. (That made her feel _really_ important. Did loads for her ego.)

He wasn't even resentful towards Annabeth, Percy, or Beckendorf. In a sad, unfortunate kind of way, he understood. He realized that his son had to be stopped, and although it didn't make him happy that his only son was dead, he agreed that they all did what they had to.

And that made the guilt ease. All three of them had been feeling the after-effects of Octavian's death. Not one of them regretted it, but there was a tremendous amount of guilt that was layered over their lives. Annabeth could never burn the image of Octavian's lifeless form out of her head.

No one _wants_ to kill someone. It was a simple fact. Even though none of them were cold blooded murderers, they couldn't really grasp or come to terms with what happened. Sally had suggested a couple of therapy sessions. And, honestly, who could have said no to that? Annabeth and Percy decided they were going to attend a few, and see if it could help them cope with what happened in the past.

It was no secret that they had been through a lot. It wasn't like someone could doubt the hardships they had faced together. Percy had told her he thought that everything that happened just made them stronger as people. Which was probably true.

"Shit." She heard him mutter, still inside the bathroom.

He walked out with the front of his shirt drenched in water. His arms were stretched out away from his body and he looked uncomfortable in the soaked fabric.

Annabeth laughed as he looked at her sadly. His bottom lip jutted out in a pout. "I was putting your stuff away, and my elbow knocked the shower handle up. Next thing I know, I'm getting a face full of Arctic Ocean ice water."

"Ah, Percy," she cooed as she kissed his nose. "Thanks for trying. It couldn't have been easy, ya know, placing a bottle of soap on a shelf. What would I ever have done without you, most fair knight?"

His look was dry as he mumbled incoherently while slipping his shirt off. His chest was red from the temperature of the cold water. Percy poked at the color absentmindedly.

Annabeth's gaze was somewhere else though. A round scar, about the circumference of her index finger remained towards the top of his abdominal muscles. Her heart clenched painfully and she couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from it. The scar that was there because of _her_. The scar that almost killed him was for _her_.

Her teeth clamped together and she felt the familiar rise of guilt wash through her veins. She was almost becoming used to it by now. She had so much to feel guilty for.

Percy's eyebrows drew together at her change in demeanor. Following her line of vision, his eyes narrowed at the bullet wound.

Slowly, he walked forward. She was still staring in a way that was probably rude, but she just couldn't look away. One of his arms came out to cup her chin. Finally, she raised her sight to his churning ocean eyes. They were not expressive, and she couldn't identify the emotion behind them.

"Hey," he whispered softly.

She hadn't realized that her eyes were starting to water until one traitorous tear leaked out. Percy caught the tear with his thumb, and brushed it away. He pressed a feather-light kiss to where it had been.

"What are you thinking?" He went on hesitantly.

Annabeth couldn't look at him. There was so much sincerity in his stare, that she dropped eye contact. She didn't deserve for him to comfort her.

Occasionally, she got like that. Where she deprecated herself. Percy hated it when she got into those kind of moods. She couldn't really understand why sometimes were different than others. She could be perfectly fine and laughing one minute, and ripping her hair out in waves of guilt the next. Percy was always there to reassure her, but it was hard for him to see her like that. For some reason, he still believe she merited the world and then some.

He winced as he realized what was really happening inside of her head. "This was not you, Annabeth. You had no part in this," he told her firmly, gesturing to the small scar.

She didn't sound like herself. She sounded weak and gruff. "No part in it?" Her voice cracked, "If I had never met you, do you think you'd still have a painful reminder of that awful night? You were _shot_ because of me, Percy."

The teenager was shaking his head before she had even finished. "I don't think you understand. You are underestimating my feelings for you. This," he pointed at the fleshy red circle, "was nothing. _Is_ nothing. Every minute of pain that this brought me, was worth it. And, I would have been willing to lose _a lot_ more for you. Like, an arm, both legs..." he huffed, "I'd give my damn life for you in a heart beat, Annabeth."

She grimaced at the thought, and still wouldn't look at him. The sorrowful emotion she felt was evident in the wet tracks spilling down her cheeks. Percy lifted her chin up again, effectively pulling her eye sight with them as well. His own orbs shown with a sense of determination and something deeper. It was almost as if he were trying to _will_ her to understand.

He continued in a soft voice, "When I see this, I don't think of Octavian and what he took from me. I think of the night that things turned around. I think of the night when the love of my life became safe again. I think of all that it took to keep us together, and see how it had worked out for us in the end." He gripped her cheeks gently, his thumbs wiping away her tears, "Don't think for a second that I feel any sense of remorse for what I've been through for us. You are worth everything that I have, and I'd gladly give up more for you."

There really wasn't much for her to say at that point. The way Percy spoke to her made her feel like a prized being. Like, for some reason, he thought he was lucky to have her. When in fact, she was lucky to have him. And she knew that. She spent no time denying the blessing that was her Percy. She only wished that he would see clearly what she had done to his life. It wasn't like she wanted him to hate her, but it just felt too _easy_ to have gotten someone like him.

If Percy could see the negative affect she had on his life, then maybe she wouldn't feel like she was... taking advantage of everything he had done for her. Like if she truly loved him so much... why was there a bullet hole in his chest?

It was no mistake that she loved every damn cell that made up Percy Jackson, personally. And she had no doubt that he reciprocated those feelings, but she thought that he could have so much more; _should_ have so much more.

If Percy could hear what she was thinking, he would surely have a heart attack. It drove him mad when she fought with herself. They would argue about this sometimes. He would tell her that she needed to try to forget about the past, and she needed to live happily with him in the present.

It wasn't a question of whether Annabeth was happy or not. Because, with Percy, her life was – in her opinion – the equivalent to that of a movie star, or one of those kids on _Teen Cribs_.

Her own felicity was with Percy Jackson.

She couldn't exactly understand why she felt the need to remember everything in the past, and hold onto it with a sort of vengeance. To believe that she wasn't worthy of this happiness.

But she had her guesses. It could be due to the fact that she didn't want to accept the happiness, in fear that it could be taken from her. If Percy was suddenly ripped from her life, with no hope of returning, the end result would not have been pretty.

She hated to be like one of those cliché teenage girls that _couldn't live_ without their boyfriend, but she kind of was. She had already established that her and Percy were more than just boyfriend and girlfriend. They were lovers and soul mates. They were Annabeth and Percy. They were each other. Two parts of one whole. And she could not live without that.

So, the thought of him being taken from her was scary enough to make her hesitate to accept what she had been given. Of course she wouldn't give it up in a lifetime, but she still had to be cautious.

If that made any sense at all.

Deciding that there was really no way of thanking him with words that were equal to what he had said, she chose to do what she was good at. And that was kissing Percy.

If kissing him was a sport, she'd be offered a freaking scholarship. Because, damn, was she eager about it. She pressed her tip toes onto the floor to match his tall stature and connected her lips to his soft ones.

He was surprised, but he really shouldn't have been. They always seemed to thank each other in this way. Because they knew how it meant more than words. In their own special way, they could spill their emotions into each other from a simple kiss. She could show him how much she appreciated him and his comfort, even if he already knew it.

Percy tasted like a mix of chocolate chip cookies and salty pretzels. It may not go together in normal circumstances, but the flavor was one-hundred percent _him__._ And she loved it. His hands twisted into her loose curls and his tongue came into action.

She wasted no time granting him entry, as she savored the taste of Percy on her lips. It was something that she could never get enough of. It would never get old. It was, in it's simplest form, a fill. It would need to be replenished sooner or later.

Her arms came around his waist and pulled his hips against hers. Percy's breath stalled as he shuffled them closer to the bed. He kicked his door closed on the way and fell into bed with her on top of him.

He gripped her hips, as she leaned down and kissed him with her own hands exploring his chest from beneath his shirt. The hard planes of his pecks were like home.

She knew exactly where this make out session would lead, but she couldn't find it in herself to care that they should probably keep cleaning. They had slept together plenty of times. It wasn't something new. But once they started, it wasn't like they'd be able to stop...

What she should have been careful of, was exactly what happened. Mr. Paul Blofis walked into the room without knocking, holding a stack of towels.

"Whoa there!" He yelled, shielding his eyes from the sight. His laugh was deep and baritone, but that did nothing to cease her embarrassment.

Annabeth jumped off of Percy so quick, he blinked in surprise. Sheepishly, he looked up to his new step father's eyes and shrugged helplessly.

"No need for words, Perce. I understand. I was a kid once." Paul was still laughing, and she really should have been glad that he was so cool, and they didn't get into trouble for defiling the bed. But she couldn't make sense of anything while she was still rolling in mortification.

Paul wasn't officially Percy's step father yet, but he was about to be. After Percy and Annabeth were safe and able to come home, Paul asked Percy for permission to propose. Of course Percy agreed, and Sally said yes in a heartbeat.

Their little family was finally coming together happily.

Poseidon was coming over for dinner tonight. Since they came back, he had been trying so hard to make a difference in Percy's life. He would visit often, and really was trying to make an effort in his life. Percy was giving him a chance, because Annabeth had asked him to try.

Well, that was his excuse. She could see that Percy really did like having an involved father. And he had Paul, too. Which just made him even more content with where his life was.

Paul walked out of the room with a smile, and a not-so-discrete wink in Percy's direction that had him blushing. She didn't get to see him blush often – other than in the bedroom. And God, if that wasn't adorable, she didn't know what was. – So, she cherished his fluster that was reserved for embarrassment in romantic situations.

Sighing, Percy covered his face with his hands. "That was bad," he muttered, but she could hear the amusement in his voice.

She smiled at him. There was a surge of affection for the green-eyed boy in front of her.

"I love you, Percy," she told him. It was random, but at that moment, she could just feel it. And she wanted to say it out loud. So, she did.

If Percy was surprised by her sudden proclamation of love, he didn't show it. Smiling broadly, in a lopsided way that was so endearingly _Percy_, he said the same words back. "I love you too, Annabeth."

And it was that simple. They loved each other. Nothing was ever this easy in Annabeth's life, but what she got from Percy was as simple as _b__eing_.

She could imagine them, for the rest of their long lives, just living. She had no problem with telling Percy those three little words whenever she felt like it. She could see their future, where they could just randomly spew out their feelings for one and other and simply mean it.

It came naturally to them, and that was what confused her so much. How could she have attained such good luck? Why did she get Percy when she was so undeserving?

But when she started thinking about it, _again..._Why question it?

She had been stressing over this one problem for far too long. Maybe Percy was right, she was too busy living in her past to see how utterly happy he was. Possibly, he didn't think his life had suffered. Could it be that Percy felt just as blessed to have met her, as she did to him? Maybe that was what he had been trying to tell her all along.

It might have seemed too good to be true. That was her original cause of caution. But when she studied the complete and irrevocable love that simmered in his beautiful eyes at that moment, she wondered why she ever had to question it.

Percy was right here, and like he had always told her before, he wasn't going anywhere. They were safe, they were in love, and they were still together. And, really, that was all that ever mattered.

Ω

They had been living in the Jackson household for a while.

It was late April and the rain had been hitting town hard the last couple of weeks. Today was different, though. The sky was a pale blue with wispy white clouds that moved through the air sluggishly.

The temperature was warm, but not too hot. Percy was glad that for that. He wasn't too big a fan on the scorching sunny weather. He might have been naturally tan, but it didn't do a thing for how easily Percy felt like he could die of heat stroke.

A little while ago, Annabeth and Percy were able to start going back to school. And, surprisingly, it had been better than ever.

She was able to enroll as herself, which she was unbelievably happy about. That thought made Percy smile.

The girls that used to unintentionally torture him with their not-subtle-at-all flirting, had backed down more or less. There were always the stares, winks, and waves, but they all started to seem halfhearted. It looked like the girls were understanding Percy's feelings for Annabeth. Most likely because they all knew about their story. It was a big thing around town.

Most of them seemed to respect how Percy felt for Annabeth, and saw that their really was no competition. The same went for the guys that used to try for Annabeth's attention. Although she seemed oblivious to it, guys really did have a taste for her. It was something that angered Percy to no end.

But now, things were better than last time. Everyone seemed... happier.

A lot had happened while Annabeth and Percy were gone. Technically, they had only been on the run for a few weeks, maybe a month. But when they got out of the hospital – which they were in for about another week or so – they had stayed with Poseidon until they could figure out where to go.

Sally really wanted them to live with her. She absolutely adored Annabeth, and completely understood that Percy wouldn't be living anywhere without her. Especially after everything they had been through. Percy couldn't have her out of his sight.

So, they agreed to move in with his mother. She didn't have a problem with Annabeth living there at all. It was an easy decision on his part. Percy loved his mother more than he loved his Jeep, and that was saying something. He almost cried when his car was returned to him. He had missed it so much.

They decided not to return to school immediately. They wanted some time to cool off and slow down for a little while. Their life had been hectic for so long, they just wanted some room to breathe. The couple had stayed home for a couple more weeks, before they finally re-enrolled in school.

When they came back, they were met with a lot of new and... positive things. It seemed like everyone was finding a happy ending.

Percy's cousins, had both found new girlfriends. And, honestly, they both seemed really on board with their relationships. Jason had started seeing a girl named Piper. He was head-over-heels for the Cherokee girl, and Percy was glad that he was finally able to move on from Reyna.

Reyna wasn't currently dating anybody, but she didn't seem all that bothered by it. Percy really respected her for that. She was a strong girl, and truthfully, she didn't need a man. The latina had been overly excited when the couple returned. There was an emotional reunion between Annabeth and her, and it warmed Percy's heart (Even though he'd never admit it out loud).

His other cousin, Nico di Angelo, surprisingly had found a mate as well. It really shouldn't have been as shocking as it was, but Nico had never shown any interest in the female species his whole life. All he ever talked about was his love for hockey. And Percy could understand that much. They had been playing hockey together for years, and he knew how much Nico liked it. But when Percy met the said girlfriend of Nico, he really couldn't believe how he hadn't seen it coming.

He remembered grinning, and shaking his head in disbelief, as Thalia – the punk chick from their art class – strolled up arm-in-arm with Nico. They were the kind of couple that bantered and fought to the ends of the Earth, but at the close of the day, they were still drooling over each other. It was kind of adorable, if he was telling the truth.

Percy was jarred from his recollections as his girlfriend stumbled into the room. "I'm so fricken tired," she had mumbled before falling unceremoniously down onto their mattress. Her head was buried into a pillow, her back side facing up, as she let out a muffled sigh.

He laughed and poked her in the side of her tummy. "Tired? What have you done all day, but eat chips and watch _Seinfeld_ reruns on TV?"

Flipping over, she gave him a challenging look that wasn't intimidating at all, because honestly, it was sort of adorable. "I'll have you know that I went to the gym with Paul today. So..." She stuck her tongue, effectively reassuring Percy that she was just too cute for her own good.

In that moment, he really couldn't stop himself. He leaned down and lightly kissed the top of her nose. And then her cheeks, and her eyelids...Until her whole face had been peppered in kisses.

She just smiled lazily at him, already used to the way Percy liked to show affection. His hand found hers, and he squeezed it. She closed her eyes and sighed. "You make me so ridiculously happy, Perce."

His smile was wide as he answered back. "Good."

Annabeth laughed and opened her eyes. Her gaze caught his, and their was something churning in her beautiful gray orbs. When she kissed him on the lips this time, he was able to register that 'something' as love. Annabeth really did love him. And he really did love her back.

She pulled away after only a few seconds, and she just stared at him. Like she would never be able to get enough of looking at his face.

At that moment, Percy closed his eyes, and could see his future consisting of times like these. Studying each other for no reason, touching each others' bodies for the purpose of feeling the warm skin and beating hearts, and the kisses that really didn't have a purpose at all, with just the intention of wanting to feel their lips molded together. Because that was where they were meant to be. Their lips were made to be connected. Their souls were meant to be united.

Percy figured, as long as he got these little moments of pure bliss, in the future, he would be able to say he got to live a good life. A good, full, happy life with Annabeth. And that was all he could ever want.

Ω

**Wow.**

**It's over. God, why am I crying?**

**I have to say thank you to all of you readers out there. It is so crazy to me, that my first story I've written has gotten so much support. You guys really do have no idea what you do for me. A simple follow or favorite was enough to make me smile. It would make my day reading just one review. And you guys left the nicest most sweetest reviews, like ever. I love you guys so terribly much and I really am so appreciative for every single person who has read my story. I hope you enjoyed the Epilogue, It took me a really long time to write it. So, I'm sorry it took me almost a week to get out. But this wasn't prewritten. I hadn't written it yet, because some people had requests. So, if you were one of them. I hope you liked the little 'moments.'**

**I don't want to stop writing this note, because when I do, it's over. Just know that you guys are the most perfect group of people that I was ever lucky enough to write for. You are beautiful, nice, and funny, and you really have no idea how much you guys mean to me. I love you so much. Thank you for everything.**

**With Love,**

**Bella**


End file.
